W.T. Rich Company contractors at the Tisbury School this morning prepared to cut down three trees on Spring Street at the back side of the school that had been slated for removal, but were met with pushback from an upset woman standing in front of one of the trees with two large forks and pleading that it be spared.
Tisbury Police responded to the site to find 83-year-old Anna Edey, who police said had been standing in front of the healthiest of the three trees at the corner of the gym and vocalizing her displeasure with the process of removal. According to Tisbury Police Chief, Chris Habekost, Edey said she was holding up the carving forks for her own protection. Habekost described these forks as “the type you would use when carving a turkey,” explaining that the sharp end is only a couple inches long. Habekost added that Edey was “very emotional and upset regarding the removal of the tree.”
Sgt. Max Sherman was able to talk to Edey for about 30 minutes to hear her concerns and calm her down, at which point Edey had already put the forks into her bag. According to Habekost and Sherman, it can be understood that Edey was concerned these trees were being preemptively cut down because the town is about to hold a special town meeting set for Sept 20, where voters will be asked to fork over an additional $26 million for the school’s renovation and addition project. Given that it’s not known if voters will support the additional borrowing, details of the Tisbury School’s renovation project in regards to borrowing additional funding will come down to a town vote. Because of this, Edey thought the contractors might wait to cut down the trees until more decisions were made.
“Once we arrived on the scene we were able to speak with [Edey] and advise her there is a different route we can take,” one that would protect both her and everyone else involved, said Sherman. From the 30 minute conversation, Sherman learned that Edey’s distress also comes from her work in green initiatives and environmental protection, saying that she was “hoping for a better solution.” Habekost also told The Times Edey had mentioned to Sherman that, while she is 83 years old, those trees are around 84 years old.
At the end of the conversion, Sherman facilitated a conversation between the contractor foreman, John DeBettencourt, and Edey. Sherman said they had a pleasant conversion, shaking hands at the end and agreeing that the one of the three trees Edey was especially keen about protecting would not be cut down at this time.
During Tuesday’s Tisbury School Board meeting, committee chair Amy Houghton responded to questions asked about the tree removal. She said the three trees, two of which were taken down Thursday, infringed on a fencing requirement for the new school for student safety. Houghton also responded to concerns by telling the crowd one of the goals of the construction would be to replace these trees.
The Times also spoke with Edey who was eager to talk about the school’s plan for construction, calling the price “abominable” and the design “energy inefficient,” adding how “we can’t do that in these days where we are now with global warming, we just can’t do that anymore.” According to Edey, she has been advocating for alternative options at Tisbury School Committee meetings and has even spent the last four years designing an alternative construction plan that is more of a “community design.” Edey adds that she has been a solar designer since 1978, and is confident her plan would be half the cost and time, and “a much better school.” Edey is hoping the meeting on Sept. 20 ends in a ‘no’ vote from Tisbury residents.
At Tuesday’s school committee meeting, Aug. 9, Edey convinced W.T. Rich contractors to hold off the tree removal for at least a day, postponing the construction from Wednesday to Thursday morning at around 7:30 am. Edey said she was a little too late, arriving at 8 am, the contractors already started on one of the trees. But with the third tree Edey stood in front of, she said the contractors said they are, “saving that for [her].”
In Edey’s account of Thursday morning at the school, she said she was “begging, requesting, pleading” with the contractors to save the trees, screaming and crying in protest. From the response she got from DeBettencourt and Sherman, however, she noted how kind the gentlemen were toward her, giving her their contacts in case she wanted to talk more.
Edey said the old oak trees are not rotting, as said to be by the contractors, but rather that it is normal for all old oaks to have large holes for squirrels and such and that they are “completely healthy.” Joel Clements, one of the contractors on the scene, shared a picture of the first tree taken down, featuring the large and disputed hole. He briefly spoke with The Times this morning, saying in fact that the tree is very rotted and sent the picture, included with this article, to prove it.
This isn’t the first time tree removal has come under question. In December of 2021, there was some back and forth surrounding a sizable elm tree on 55 West William St., across the street from the Tisbury School and where WT Rich is staging its equipment for the project. Tisbury officials said the tree needed to come down, but that decision sparked disappointment from the community, including Martha’s Vineyard Commission member Linda Sibley.
If one of those trees with rot fell down and hit a student and teacher there would be full outrage that the school committee and town departments didn’t take care of things. Should have already been done and thank you for doing what is right for a change. Imagine that headline in the paper. Another “Tree of Death” story.
Grant– those were presumably healthy trees.. Read the article. They were not taken down because they posed a risk. No arborists were consulted. They were taken down because they
“infringed on a fencing requirement for the new school ” .. What “new” school?–The current plan is to renovate the poison pig. And even that has not been approved.
As far as it falling on someone– stay off the street when we have a hurricane.
Thank you Anna —–
Anna Edey is truly a woman of valor.
https://www.mvtimes.com/2020/03/11/one-womans-near-zero-harm-vision-m-v/
Anna Edey: Please protect the 1837 Japanese pagoda tree on South Water Street in Edgartown, the largest of its species in the entire country. There is very little unpaved ground around the tree, but cars and trucks park on what little there is regularly. The town should take the unpaved ground by eminent domain and prohibit parking to protect the tree’s roots.
That is yet another totally outrageous example of humans’ blind and stupid torturing Life on Earth – I think it’s up to us to show people the harmful consequences of such behaviour.
For me, it’s been 4 years of trying to show Tisbury what a disaster the Tappe school would be for Tisbury, and working full-time to develop and show a better option that would most likely be a much better school at half the cost, and ready in half the time. But, from the very beginning, the Tisbury School Building Committee has been 100% refusing to hear anything about another option.
And the community response to my ideas and pleas for help has been a deafening silence of inertia, hopelessness, fear, powerlessness, disinterest, unwillingness to step in to help stop this Tappe project that they abhor as much as I do.
And this Tappe school project is a penultimate example of a stupid ignorant incompetent design – forced upon us by an off-island conglomorate corporation whose top priority responsibility is to maximize the profits for its shareholders. Think about that. And do you all understand that this corporation gets paid a certain percentage of the final cost of the school. This explains the cost-padding and secrecy that has been going on since the beginning. And that, dear Friends, is essential food for thought.
My action yesterday may have finally broken through what seemed to be an impenetrable wall of community lack of willingness or interest to get up and do something to help stop what they already agree is a stupid projects. Now I finally have a platform on which to present the details of my proposal, and the first installment is coming right up, with more to come over the next 5 weeks before our Town meeting. I am hoping that at least 2/3 vote NO – no we are not willing to spend an additional $26,000,000 on this incompetent design!
So NOW, what can we do to protect that noble magnificent historical tree in Edgartown?
Based on the effectiveness of my action yesterday, I suggest you organize a sit-in around the tree, in as wide a circle as the tree requires, giving and passing out explanation of our action, which is to demand that the tree be immediately surrounded by a fence wide enough to prevent any further harm to the tree. I pledge to participate in such an action, but you have to organize it.
You write the demand to hand to the Selectmen (I’ll be happy to help), and you set a date and time of the sit-in, and you invite your friends, including me, and I promise to join you and to spread the word.
It doesn’t matter how many join us – even if it’s just you and me, it will be seen as a “disturbance” and someone will call the police, who will come, and the’ll be followed the press – and there is your platform. I think this is pretty much guaranteed to result in a protective fence around that beloved tree.
What do you think?
Great ideas! Happy to help with this – Please count me in. My email is johannahynes@gmail.com. Another thought: get the town to formally recognize the tree as a local historic landmark structure – doing so would make the tree eligible for CPA funding and would protect and preserve it for future generations to admire and enjoy.
Great Johanna! And who else?
I’m sure we would have a dozen or more for this human fence, and I’m sure there would soon be a real fence to protect that beloved tree.
Greg – what do you think? Are you up for organizing this?
Will you help clean up the police departments in island next?
I have loved every encounter I’ve ever had with our local police, including last Thursday.
But, please list what you’d like to have changed, and if I agree, I will help.
Anna Eden has published two books on “the art of living well without causing harm to our planet” and is a well respected expert on energy efficiency, except here in her home town…
We would do well to listen to more of her ideas on the new school. Unlike many of the people involved in this project she actually has experience in this area.
“The Times also spoke with Edey, who was eager to talk about the school’s plan for construction, calling the price ‘abominable…'”
I’m sure. Do we really want to platform these theatrics? Rewarding negative behavior only reinforces it.
“…and the design “energy inefficient,” adding how “we can’t do that in these days where we are now with global warming, we just can’t do that anymore.”
Amazingly, the same people who argue that the price is too high also say that we must construct using only the most expensive (re: green) building practices. This is not a circumstance where you can have your cake and eat it too.
We all love a win-win. I’m all for environmental sensitivity, especially when construction can be done in a manner that rivals the cost of traditional construction. But here’s the truth: Not one of the numerous (and expensive!) contracted professionals that the Town of Tisbury has engaged over the past near-decade has ever agreed with Anna Edey’s assertions that she can construct a comperable school – much less a better one – that meets the educational plan at half the cost and twice the energy efficiency. Period. It’s just not reality. At least not according to the people certified to do this professionally for the Commonwealth. Instead, it’s the entitled fantasy of an elite who would role-play their virtuous nature while ignoring their social obligation to the next generation.
Who HAS found this argument compelling? Those whose wishful thinking (and outright lies) have cost this town millions of dollars are lining up to do so again. The same folks who masqueraded as experts and sold the town a bill of goods during the last project have returned for their second act. As the adage goes: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
“Edey is hoping the meeting on Sept. 20 ends in a ‘no’ vote from Tisbury residents.”
Whoops! She’s said the quiet part out loud.
Cillian–As I cecal that old adage :” Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice —–you can’t get fooled again” —George W Bush, 43rd president of the United States.
I think you have been drinking the right wing Kool aid about green construction techniques and the supposed lack of benefit from them.
There is nothing inherently expensive about “green” buildings.
The current plan budgets nearly $2 million for “structural steel framing”. Many here tell us the building is “structurally sound”. What’s up with that ?
Also $3.5 million for hvac. I know the current furnace is ridiculously outdated and needs to be replaced, but at that price, it seems they are going to tear out all the duct work, and replace it.
That is more difficult to do while renovating.
There is a big flat sunny roof on top of this building. I see nothing in the plans for solar electricity or solar hot water. That stuff pays for itself in about 8 years due to energy savings.
But back to the point.
You criticize Anna in an ideological vacuum. You seem to just have the knee jerk reaction that her ideas are “wishful thinking” , despite her lifetime of experience and considerable knowledge and expertise on the topic at hand.
For you to imply that she is ignoring her “social obligation to the next generation” is turning reality on it’s head. Her dedication to future generations is unsurpassed. Shame on you for the feeble attempt at defamation.
Count me in as a no vote on Sept 20–I will vote NO — and I hope my fellow citizens vote NO in overwhelming numbers. Nothing quite here about opposition to this boondoggle.
Let me say this;
“Keller is hoping the meeting on Sept. 20 ends in a ‘no’ vote from Tisbury residents.”
No “whoops” about it.
Fascinating! Having read your comments for a while, I never would have thought you would come down on the side of obstructionism and pseudo-science. I’ve always respected your opinion/humor, so let me try to convince you that you’ve got the wrong end of the stick here.
“I think you have been drinking the right wing Kool aid about green construction techniques and the supposed lack of benefit from them.”
In my frustration, perhaps I came off a bit harsh. I’d be thrilled to see any “green construction techniques” that met the needs and simultaneously cost less, equal, or even slightly more than the traditional measures. As I said above, that would be a “win-win,” and we all love those. However, it would appear that whatever can be done along those lines has already been done by the certified architects and engineers hired by the town twice over. In this line of thinking, are you proposing that those professionals have not done their due diligence in their role or that we are more creative, intelligent, or competent than they are?
“The current plan budgets nearly $2 million for “structural steel framing”. Many here tell us the building is “structurally sound”. What’s up with that?”
Ah! We’ve come to the crux of the issue then, haven’t we? Many in the MVTimes comment section have suggested that the building is structurally sound. Yet, engineering is an applied science, much like medicine. What happened to “follow the science?” The experts in this field, hired by the town, have given their recommendations. Yet the MVTimes comment section knows better? I wouldn’t discount the building experience of anyone who might read this. Still, I am left to wonder about the number of posters that have participated in the design and construction of a school before.
“There is a big flat sunny roof on top of this building. I see nothing in the plans for solar electricity or solar hot water. That stuff pays for itself in about 8 years due to energy savings.”
The select board and building committee have said several times that they have every intention of installing this, but they want to partner with an outside institution that will donate funds toward a solar array to keep it off the taxpayer’s rolls.
“You criticize Anna in an ideological vacuum. You seem to just have the knee jerk reaction that her ideas are “wishful thinking”, despite her lifetime of experience and considerable knowledge and expertise on the topic at hand.”
Do I? I thought my reaction was rather tempered. You comment on her lifetime of experience and expertise, which I find ironic when you’re proposing to ignore the recommendation of the people who are actually hired and certified to be experts in this field on behalf of taxpayers.
“For you to imply that she is ignoring her “social obligation to the next generation” is turning reality on it’s head. Her dedication to future generations is unsurpassed. Shame on you for the feeble attempt at defamation.”
Interesting that her “unsurpassed dedication to future generations” just happens to ignore the generation of students in our school right now. Where is the concern for THEIR education? For THEIR future? It’s amazing how consistently we fight for a theoretical “future” that happens to align with our ideals and pocketbooks while ignoring the very real humans who continue to have their education conducted in a known, sub-standard facility. All of this in one of the wealthiest towns in the most prosperous nation on earth. It defies logic.
Credit where credit is due, Anna Edey is vocal in her stance. Given the article and her reputation, I surmise that she believes she is correct. However, given the context (tears?), perhaps she’s not thinking clearly on this one. If costs are this critical, why pick a town project to face off against where every delay would cost us more money? If environmental concerns are, why pick a random tree? Indeed, even on our small island, far more significant ecological cataclysms exist. Just off the top of my head: Every private jet that lands at the MVAirport exhausts FAR more carbon dioxide than that tree could ever convert into Oxygen, and they land every few minutes. Why not protest there? Far be it from me to question anyone’s bona fides, but it all rings a bit ill-conceived at best, and personal at worst.
From what I can see, the same people who said five years ago that they could build a better, more ecologically sensitive school for $20 million dollars are back at it again, this time with an outlandish, $40+ million dollar discount, if only “they” (meaning, our towns elected/appointing officials) would listen. Well, we listened to their expertise last time, and the costs doubled. I am surprised that anyone wants to listen again.
Let’s follow the science, Don, even the applied ones.
Cillian — thank you for taking the time to post a thoughtful comment. You make many good points.
In the interest of brevity, I will address a few of your points directly and leave some points
I do not feel like I am being obstructive or babbling about pseudo-science. I am expressing my opinions, just as you are. I also feel that I was a bit harsh in my comment to you– I apologize.
My point about this is that no matter how it gets sliced, we are talking about a nearly 100 year old building. If we renovate it now, it does not make it any younger. Thinking ahead, what kinds of problems will it have 30 years from now when we finally pay off the mortgage on it ? Or a hundred years from now ?
I think education is the most important investment a community can make, and I am fully on board with a new school. A new building would allow for opportunities in modern architecture ( which is not pseudo science) to create a lighter, more energy efficient and more welcoming space which could be aesthetically appealing to the children in ways that a hundred year old block of bricks cannot.
I am also not criticizing the engineers and architects or any of the trades for not doing due diligence. The fact that $2 million worth of structural steel has to go into it does not reflect on any kind of implied incompetence on anyone’s part. It speaks to the fact, that the building needs some structural work and is not as solid as some would suggest.
I have high levels of respect for them, and I fully trust them.
As for money;
I own a house that is valued at about the median price on the Vineyard. I do not have any children in the school system. My school aged grandchildren live in Maine.
So it’s not personal. As I said, it’s about investing in the community. Money is not the only issue with me.
If we were talking about a new school, and the engineers architects, and trades people said it would cost 82 million dollars, or even 100 million (which I think this could end up costing) I would be all in.
I don’t have any illusions that a high quality school built to modern specifications can be built for 50 million dollars. Keep in mind, a school serves many functions for a community, including a structure that can withstand the ever more intense storms or natural disasters,that will inevitably impact us at some point. It can serve the community as emergency shelter during those times.
And, i know– we are not in an area that is prone to seismic activity, but just to throw a curveball in here, has this building been studied and rated for it’s ability to withstand an earthquake? Or an f-4 tornado?
There will be hundreds of precious lives inside whatever we decide to build nearly every day for decades to come.
I want those curious minds and dedicated teachers to be in the safest and most aesthetically appealing environment possible.
A hundred year old block of bricks with some lipstick on it just doesn’t do it for me.
Dear Don – I’m looking forward to introducing you to my starter design, and to show you why I believe we can make a better school for half the price, and ready in half the time. And I am looking forward to you and others helping develop it into the best proposal we can imagine. Please come on over so we can proceed!
“Many here tell us the building is “structurally sound”. What’s up with that?””
I am pretty sure the building was deemed structurally sound in a report from I think 2015.
Can’t recall. Ben Robinson of the planning board would have that report.
I’ll look for it.
katherine– apparently it will be structurally sound after we spend 2 million dollars to make it structurally sound.
I don’t get how it was deemed structurally sound 7 years ago and now we discover we need 2 million dollars worth of structural steel to make it structurally sound.
I, too, have that report somewhere in my piles and files, and I distinctly recall this gym being pronounced to be stronger than anything that would be built these days. Ask Jimmy Rogers, recent chair of the Selectmen – he loved that gym – and will probably be delighted to see it NOT destroyed!
Of course if the trees are rotted they need to come down. But leaving aside the trees, Anna Eden has experience planning energy efficient buildings. Why is no one concerned with the school debacle listening to her???
Please get her name right.
It is EDEY.
Where is your grace, Katherine? You’ve never autocorrected something poorly? You can see the misspelling is unintentional, but you felt the need to lash out at her? Have you no shame?
Actually, the misspelling was repeated.
Actually, it is important to get people’s names right.
Your overreaction to this correction is revealing.
Cillian– Their are multiplied type hoes hear every day.
(That sentence passed the spell check )
Thank you for calling out Katherine’s pretty comment to Ellen. !
Let’s keep on point.
In my book, Dan, misspellling people’s names is sloppy and disprespectful.
Edey autocorrects to Eden. If someone is typing quickly, it’s easy to miss that a change has been made without one making it. I almost fell into that mistake, too. No harm intended.
I am unsurprised that you, Katherine, would find a typo of all things disrespectful while supporting a woman who admits she took her primal rage out on others. Which is… what? Respectful? No in any world.
I was glad to see that you are explicitly concerned for “lungs” nowadays, even if they belong to a tree instead of people vulnerable to COVID.
Hearing from Islanders who care more about plants and plovers than their neighbors is bizarre. I say that as someone who rather likes the plants. And the plovers.
Love it, LOVE it, dear Don
Thank you, Ms. Edey! I admire your courage. If only there were more people willing to stand up for the trees on this island.
I admire your conviction, Ms Edey. To me, you are a hero, and model of someone choosing not to be complacent as we collectively bear witness to destruction of the natural world.
Why not ask Ms Edey to present her plans. No one can stop her from hosting a presentation, right?
If she authentically has a different plan and contractors lined up who can save money, let’s see it. If she’s got bids from contractors to design hers, I’d love to see them.
If shes going to object to this incredibly important project, she’s had a decade or so to do something about it. Ms Edey, show us what you have been working on. There’s no reason to keep it a secret.
But if you don’t have a full fledged out plan, a vocal objection is an empty distraction, and stopping good people from helping out the hundreds of kids destined to live and learn in portable trailers.
Our teachers and students have been spending the majority of their waking lives in a building rife with asbestos in a below basic standards educational environment. It’s insulting to them and will decimate any hope of recruiting the best educators. What parent is going to want to live here knowing their kids are going to school in this environment?! What teacher says, “ooooo, sign me up!!”
It’s beyond embarrassing to me that someone can vote against improving this school, let alone try to stop it with theatrics devoid of substance.
Has anyone actually SEEN Ms Edeys proposed solution? Show us an alternative and that you’re prepared to do the work. If you’ve got the plans, I’ll take it seriously and will give it my respect, but talk is cheap. If you want us to stop THIS project, fill the gap with real solutions.
If not, why are we engaging this after-the-fact attempt to block a project that we cannot survive without.
Adam, Anna stands up for and cares about the island and the proof is she has been living and breathing and working for this truth for decades. Lash out first, educate yourself later about who Anna Edey is. Nice know-nothing attitude from someone who brings unwanted hordes and their traffic, trash, and waste to the island and claims it isn’t about money.
I appreciate Ms Edey and her desire to propose a different idea. Nothing wrong with that. She could have taken the initiative to establish a non-profit and crowdsourced funding to flesh out and present her ideas.
If the support she receives here is any indication, i’m shocked none of you proposed it. Have a meeting, form a group, raise some money, and fight back. I hope that your support is deeper than just complimenting her on the MV Times. I guess we’ll see what you’re made of by how hard you really step up to help her. Are you just a keyboard warrior, or can you actually DO anything?
You can do it if you take a moment away from this message board, and rally support for Ms Edey. Far lesser efforts have generated pools of $ that she can put to good use.
That is far more productive than standing in front of a tree threatening people with a fork.
“Anna stands up for and cares about the island and the proof is she has been living and breathing and working for this truth for decades.”
The proof of her caring is that she has shown that she has cared for a long time…? This is the type of circular logic that gets us nowhere.
There have been dozens upon dozens of public meetings in which Anna Edey, or any other resident, could have proposed worthwhile changes. A quick glance shows that she does appear in a few of those meetings minutes, which seems to indicate that she HAS availed herself of a few of those chances. How many others who are against the project here did? If she, or anyone else, wanted a larger role in substantive projects, perhaps they should have run for public office over the past decade. Or asked to be appointed to the building committee itself?
I’m always surprised when people come online to air their grievances about small-town projects when they hold so many public meetings. Those posted meetings ARE your opportunity to get your points across to elected/appointed officials. You don’t like the response you are getting? Vote those people out. You can’t vote them out because they are too popular? Then maybe your opinion is simply not the majority. That’s democracy, which, humorously, no one seems to like when it doesn’t go their way.
Jackie, should the Island economy be shrinking back to the size it was when you came of age?
Those were the Wonder Years?
Anna Edey has been on this subject for years and has made valiant efforts to bring her ideas to decision-makers and before the public.
Mr. Epstein’s comment is more evidence of his arrogance and his lack of awareness of what actually goes on in this community.
Arrogance is the lack of empathy people have for the incredibly hard work our teachers and administrators provide for vineyard families.
I side with the teachers and students, and I will right there prepared to invest in my town, even though I have no kids, because education is the foundation of any strong community.
I’ll accept your name calling if it means that we get the school over the finish line.
“I side with teachers and students” is an excellent example of grandstanding verging on demagoguery.
This rhetorical stunt’s point is, obviously, the notion that anyone who does not support this scheme with its astronomical costs does not “side” with teachers and students.
The old moth-eaten thing keeps getting hauled out and paraded like a newly discovered pearl of wisdom.
Mr Epstein, few are arguing against a new school. Most people want their kids well educated and safe. This is about a 56mm poorly thought out venture that escalated to 82mm. A lot of people think we can look after the children for a lot less than that. Cutting down trees before one has approval is imprudent.
Andrew
This is about a $30 million dollar project split with the State that was voted down and now has forced us to rebuild a school in an inflationary environment with no margin of error.
We had the proper, affordable plan, that seems like a steal, five years ago.
Our town, our teachers, our students and our families need to stop the revisionist talk and realize that we have no school and need to charge through now.
I too side with the children and the teachers – that is the reason I am willing to push so hard for them to get a great school, at a cost that will NOT cripple our children when they grow up to be tax payers.
With the Tappe scheme, they say the owner of a home valued at $700,000 would pay an additional $1100/year property tax, and, that person is likely to be earning $30/hour – thus this average tax payer would have to work an additional 36 hours annually in order to be able to pay those additional taxes. 36 hours reduction of free time every year, 36 hours less free time for family and fun – does that seem right?
On the other hand, this Plan B Community Option will cost less than half of that, thus providing 18 hours more free time than the Tappe option, for the next 30 years!
Which options seems the more desirable?
That is the stark real reality – and I don’t think many have thought about it this way. Doing those simple calculations (although they take hours!), was a huge eye-opener for me.
And now I see that it is essential to know and understand these calculations, because that is where the facts reveal themselves.
And this seems like the only way we can become well enough informed to able to make a wise choice –
Tappe or Plan B?
I will roll out much more information as fast as I can – the question is how – what format is best?
This comment space is fantastic, but it apparently does not accept images, and so, since what I want to show is mostly images, like preliminary architectural drawings and graphs, this platform is quite limited.
So should it be on FB?
Or is it best to present it on YouTube, unrolling new info every day? I know nothing about setting up a channel, and would love help and advise. Thank you.
Adam– we can survive without this project. And there is nothing “after-the-fact” about it. Yes we need a school, but not necessarily this one.
I believe Ms, Edey has presented basic conceptual plans in the past.
Let me point out that architectural and engineering cost on this project are over 4.5 million dollars.
I’d be more than happy if the town gave Anna 1/10 th of that amount to hire a small team of architectural students and present it to us. I’m sure you would find out just how gifted she is.
I understand. But sometimes, to show the way, private individuals (Ms Edey) need to self-fund to demonstrate viability. Crowdsourcing is everywhere now. Why couldn’t she go that route?
Any one of her supporters could help her finance an operation to develop and present plans, right? No one is stopping her or them, from a kickstarter campaign.
To your suggestion that Tisbury should direct public tax dollars to Ms Edey’s project, is a choice that tax payers and our elected leaders need to make. I’m open to that conversation, but i’m also suggesting that Ms Edey seems to have support, and those supporters should help her finance her project’s development.
Show the viability and then present an alternative plan that is more than ideas, and outlines.
We are dealing with real people and real familiies. So, we have to go with what’s real, and solves the problem. Stopping the school does not make it any better than stopping the first school project did.
The construction of the school is not technically approved due to the 26mm vote yet to be had and now they cut down trees that were of no danger to anyone it appears. Craziness.
andy– i’m impressed at your sudden “wokeness”.
Good job Ms.Eddy! This proves you can accomplish more with a kind word and two carving forks than you can with a kind word alone.
Aaah Max, thank you – I haven’t laughed so deeply for so long for a long time – so healing – I love the exact way you said that!! (where are the emojis – I love emojis?)
“This proves you can accomplish more with a kind word and two carving forks than you can with a kind word alone.” YES there where very kind words, love even, both ways, and yes there where two turkey forks – AND, there was a third ingredient, actually the first ingredient: primal screaming rage. Who woulda ever thunk I would do a thing like that – not I – but I did it and it actually felt deeply cleansing – and it worked, at least so far – it got us talking about our immense community issue – finally!
Compelled by shock and guided by my own true inner self – with deep understanding of our human dilemma and the choices we face, right NOW.
The basic question for us right now in this community is this :
– Do we want the best school we can imagine, ready in shortest time possible, so our children can finally go to a school with excellent air quality, perfect temperature and humidity (each teacher in full control of their own class room), and fabulous spacious areas for kitchen/cafeteria, media library, art, shop, maker-space, music, theater, proper size gym with large comfortable seating capacity and excellent changing rooms, sick room, pre-K – and sunny kindergarten rooms! (yes Rita – for real). And easy access to the parking lot, and easy, safe drop-off and pick-up area, and easy access everywhere inside and out. And lots of light and sunshine, without overheating.
This is of course something that everyone would love, especially the teachers and the children.
And, of course, the top issue right now: we all want all this at the least cost.
BUT, the amazing thing is that in all this time, from the very beginning, we have only been allowed to consider ONE option, the Tappe design.
We have NEVER been allowed to consider any other options, even though a 2nd option has been offered all along from the very beginning.
How can we possibly know which option would be best for us, if we have nothing to compare it with?!
What needs to be done now is to produce a proposal for a second option – we can call it “Plan B: our Community Option A” – I’ve got a long-developed preliminary base design, to scale, with many calculations – and now it’s time for the community to step in to help produce a shining proposal that people can easily understand and imagine, with multifaceted correct architectural drawings, and realistic COST estimates, and approximate TIME FRAME (“if we got started now, how long would it take to completion?”) and COST (I will explain what makes me believe we can get a much better school, at half the cost, and ready in half the time, compared to the Tappe option).
Now we have 5 weeks to work together on this proposal, to then be formally presented at the Sept 20 Town Meeting, by some of you (not me).
– hey I’ve been begging for a month delay, to think about what we really want, and here we are getting 5 weeks! Hallelujah!
Architects, engineers, builders – please come on board – and, who can do perspective drawings, birds-eye view from SE, SW, NW and NE, interior and exterior, cutaway-look-ins, and to-scale students and teachers and plants to bring it all to life. A model would be superb.
We’ll soon find out if we live in a community that really wants our school project to cause the least amount of CO2 and other pollution, and really wants to keep the cost of building it and running it as cost-effective as possible, and that really wants to drastically reduce the time the kids have to go to school in those trailers.
Or is this a community that does not really care about the global warming and pollution factor, and does not really care about the size of the debt burden our children will have to live with for the next 30 years – and does not really care about the relevancy of our children’s education – and does not really care if our kids spend the next 2 years in those trailers.
We will soon find out.
But for now, let’s get together and make the best proposal we can imagine!
Ms. Edey, you have a strange and dissonant definition of kindness. No, holding sharp objects while venting your rage at innocent folks doing their jobs was absolutely not kind, nor are you entitled to do what you did. Not by law and not if you want others to view you as ethical.
Yes, someone present felt threatened. Do you honestly believe otherwise? Don’t confuse successful attempts at de-escalation for anyone finding your treatment of them acceptable. There is nothing humorous about your tactics or double speak. I imagine you’d see that quite quickly if someone treated you the same way. NO ONE wants to encounter a screaming person in hysterics with makeshift weapons. That is basic decency 101.
You are, of course, correct on all points about the need for a green build. I very much hope that another party will come up with a design that is all you’ve described. But after reading your comments here, which I’m still blown away by, I would never vote in favor of putting a vital, multi-million dollar project in your hands.
Not when you have repeatedly demonstrated a lack of professionalism and a sense of entitlement beyond measure. You cannot “order” people to do anything, nor make “demands”. That’s not democracy. You know, that thing that Islanders claimed to care so much about until two seconds ago. Now? Radio silence as you continue your defense.
There are other green experts who do their jobs sans tiny pitch forks. There are plenty of trained folks who do not want to introduce potential for violence into a simple, civil conversation. I hope the town hires them. As a previous admirer of your do-no-harm ethos—and I mean that more than you can possibly know–I was shocked to learn it doesn’t extend to potentially violent protest and respecting your fellow humans. Stupid me, sincerely, for assuming “no harm” must automatically include pacifism and a civil, controlled tongue. Lesson learned, if slowly, which seems to be how I learn everything.
I am sure you will continue to receive support from many here. As it turns out, the Vineyard peace & love crowd, aka the anti-violence crowd, aka the majority, has a labile definition of those concepts, too.
I have never been more sympathetic to how the minority view the performativeness of this place than I am in this moment. So much disappointment.
P.S. because I missed this line from you before.
“primal screaming rage. Who woulda ever thunk I would do a thing like that – not I – but I did it and it actually felt deeply cleansing”
So as long as YOU feel better, it’s okay? Wow.
Other people do not exist to take your abuse so that you can feel “cleansed”. I can’t believe that you are comfortable admitting you took your frustrations out on folks in such a scary, erratic way. I’m seeing no humility or remorse here.
Disturbing. All trust lost.
Dear Katie – I love that you are expressing how you feel – that’s what we all need to do – especially when we have an immensely important community issue, which is threatening to severely and adversely affect our children for the next 30 years – like slamming them with this abominable, immoral, unethical, disgraceful debt burden: $132,000,000 – yes, it comes to 132 million dollars (IF they manage to get the extremely low 3.5% interest rate they are “hoping” for). Which would condemn our children to pay out additional taxes of $1000-5000 or more annually.
How many hours of leisure time will our children have to give up in order to be able to pay those huge tax increases – actually, for a $700,000 property, it comes to a loss of roughly 36 hours of free time every year – imagine that: 36 hours less free time for family, friends and fun – and God knows where our economy will be going – the actual economic burden for them may be far more severe than it appears today, as we are flying high in this economic bubble.
Here’s the calculation that shows the economic devastation that would follow if Tisbury falls into this Tappe debt trap:
(using the extremely low 3.5% interest rate they are “hoping” for:
– $82,000,000 @3.5% over 30 years = $368,216/month x 12 months/year = $4,418,592/year x 30 years = $132,557,760 total debt burden. YES – google it!.
Please keep in mind that I have been trying for 4 years, to be heard by this Building Committee, more politely than you can imagine. I was 100% silenced 100% of the time. That entire time, they refused to hear about any other option except what was served to them by Daedalus/Tappe. Is that Democracy? I don’t think so.
I wonder, if you were in my shoes, what would you have done?
Let the kids be dumped into a debt pit so deep that it will bankrupt some of them?
Wouldn’t you want to do all you can to reduce that debt as low as possible – for our kids?
I praise Anna Edey for her drive to stop the cutting down of these old trees and to put na hold on this over priced new school. The Tisbury school is the strongest school on our island. It could have been renovated without tearing parts of it down. This is a huge blunder to tear this building down. They are talking about using less expensive materials to keep the cost down. That would be a huge mistake. This building was done with beautiful floors that have with stood the passage of time. New less expensive materials will have to be replaced in a few years. Please don’t do it.
WE NEED MORE ANNA EDEYS IN OUR WORLD.
I would have been out there with Anna if I had known about this plan to destroy three of Vineyard Haven’s lungs.
This destructive chopping is the kind of “thinking” that has characterized the ‘Give us a blank check” thinking of the School Building Committee since the beginning of these discussions about the school renovation/brand-new school.
BTW I am shocked that another local newspaper sees fit to reprint, approvingly, a letter in its editorial section that advocates ignoring the result of a legitimate election in this town. Shortcuts and end runs to get your own way. Not a good idea. This was very poor editorial judgment, IMO.
Thank you Anna Eden. Don’t let the attempts a bullying stop you. You have substance, you are fighting for the lungs of our earth. Too many development plans run roughshod over the environment.
Thanks dear Susan – I’ve been trying this for most of our municipal buildings since early 80s, with no luck whatsoever, but I am still standing – and I’m not about to give up now, especially since there is no anger toward or from anyone – and I am so grateful to everyone for that. Instead, a remarkable flow of mutual respect and love and understanding – with Amy Houghton, the Chair of the School Committee, and with the various contractors who are so eager to get this project going. I empathize with them all, but I cannot accept the money and the project they are pushing for.
I’ve been sending out information about my designs and ideas to the Tisbury School Building Committee since the very beginning (they were always refused). Now that this “Incidence” (how about we call it a “Co-Incidence”) happened yesterday, there is suddenly an open platform to discuss this heavy choice that stands before us:
If 2/3 of us say YES, we agree to spending an additional $26 million, on top of the $56 million we already agreed to – in spite of all the many problems we hear about?
Well, here are the economic consequences of that option:
In this calculation, I use the extremely low 3.5% interest rate they are “hoping” for:
– $82,000,000 @3.5% over 30 years = $368,216/month x 12 months/year = $4,418,592/year x 30 years = $132,557,760 total debt burden.
Definitely less than the 170,000,000 I calculated earlier, based on a more likely interest rate, but, even at 3.5%, this is an immense tax burden.
IF at least 1/3rd of us say NO, we do not want to slam such an immense debt burden onto our children and grand children, to pay for a school that has many serious flaws and would be unusable in a prolonged blackout. No thanks.
My hope is that by the time of the Town meeting, Sept 20, enough people in Tisbury will know enough about what I am talking about, and they will understand enough to understand that, yes, this does indeed seem like a much better school, and yes it does seem likely to cost half as much, and yes it does indeed look likely that our children could move into a brandnew healthy clean beautifully updated school in half the time of the Tappe project.
I will be sending out installments of info, and will ask for help as needed. I hope for folks who can help evolve and firm up this basic current design – architects, engineers, renderers (plan, view, cross sections, renderings in true perspective inside and out, to scale, with numbered descriptions, and with to-scale people and plants breathing life into the illustrations – and plumbers, electricians, solar designer, and builders filling in the developing designs, and estimating cost of everything and then the total.
– Anyone who feels moved to help develop this project is welcome to join this “5-week Community ThinkTank Marathon” – professionals, thinkers and tinkerers – and a special call for young people wanting to help stop fossil fuels and carbon emissions – you can do more than you can imagine to help with this project, and you will be so welcomed – and then you will really understand the reality of the immense benefits and advantages of solar-green design. Together we can design a school that everyone will love, and we will have a ballpark idea of what it will cost – THEN, and only then will we be ready to offer this great project to excellent State-Approved (as may be required when using tax dollars) architects and engineers, for the purpose of turning our design, with any recommended improvements, into working drawings, ready to go out to bid to State-approved contractors (only if The State requires), with local skilled folks first in line for all work that can be subcontracted, to ensure that our community benefits economically as much as possible from the construction of our school – money recirculating locally. Honing skills that will be essential when the long-term total blackout does hit.
For RIGHT NOW, the most URGENT TASK we need to do is to DEMAND that the School Committee and the Selectmen order the Contractor(s) to STOP ALL WORK on any part of the school, inside or outside, except for continuing to prepare the trailers for the start of school. Order them not to touch the existing school until after the Sept.20 Town Meeting.
They have already done damage, such as removed a large window from the kindergarten – that will have to be put back in because it belongs in my design. I hope to God they did not break!!
And they have already done a bunch of other things that will have to be put back.
THAT HAS TO STOP – NOW!!
If you agree, please help in any way you can to demand that they order a stop immediately because demolition is proceeding on right now.
Thanks to everyone for helping in any you can.
I too want to thank you, Anna Edey, for protesting the removal of the trees at Tisbury School. It’s possible the one tree that remains is older than the 84 years mentioned in the article. My mom, Ruth Stiller, remembered walking,
carrying their books, from the old school, where the town tennis courts are now, to the brand new Tisbury School. She was so proud to have done that! She would have turned 100 this year.
That said, I also want to thank Sgt. Max Sherman for treating Ms. Edey with the respect that she deserves.
She was extolling the virtues of composting toilet long before anyone had heard of them and she faced enormous skepticism and pushback. Now we know how right she was. And her farm Solviva, was world famous. Just Google her and you’ll learn so much.
Let’s not let another opportunity to do the right thing go by. I’m not a Tisbury voter and taxpayer so I’m not going to tell anyone how to vote. You, the voters, have a lot to consider. Thank you.
I know many people who wouldn’t be judged, or likely treated, so kindly if they tried to make their points while holding pointy objects. Not an approach to be praised or proud of.
Here’s my first installment of more detailed information about a Better Option for the Tisbury school:
Well, unfortunately that image is not transferring from my Photo to this comment box.
Any ideas of how to insert an image into this space?? Help please!
I’m loving this community conversation! I thank you all for being willing to speak out, to stick your necks out, on this ultramegaimmense financial issue our town is facing. Your comments seem to flow so easily and elegantly – for me it takes hours, and so it’s hard for me to keep up with the conversation –
Now I think it’s a good time for me to reach out for help – we have 5 weeks in which to develop a proposal, including preliminary architectural drawings, cost estimates, and time frame. Our goal is simple: to make a proposal that offers a better school, at half the cost, in half the time.
If the Town decides to go in this direction, then we’ll just continue – taking another month or so to reach our dream design, and community understanding and consensus –
and THEN, and only then, will we be ready go find State certified architects (IF we are willing let The State continue to bully us into spending vastly more money than it would cost if we built with our local expertise and skilled workforce – this is another HUGE issue for which we must demand change – with firm words and warm hearts, and, of course, let’s not forget our turkey lifters – yup, that sure is what got this whole thread started! Who else wants to have a conversation about this issue?)
I am now ready to ask for help from architects, engineers, solar designers, builders, plumbers, electricians, etc. I think my drawings and calculations are now “done” enough for others to understand and take it from there – with the goal of completing our proposal before Sept 20 Town Meeting, complete with architectural renderings in birdseye perspective view as seen from SE, SW, NW and NE – interiors and exteriors – and all brought to life with to-scale people and plants.
And with rough schedule of what work to do when, and when to expect completion of each segment and the total. And how much it would cost. A model would be amazing – the whole school lot with our dream school built upon it – wow! Did someone mention architecture students??
I want to especially invite the young members of the High School Climate Cafe – you know what you want and here’s your chance to help make it happen – your contribution will be more important than you can possibly imagine – you will learn a ton, and I trust that you too will be reembursed at a fair rate.
The design will evolve as ideas will come flying in, and every idea will be considered, and if it improves the design, it will be incorporated, until we reach the best we can imagine.
Unfortunately, I have no money to pay anyone, but if this Community Option comes to pass, then I trust we will all be reembursed for our work, with rates comparable to Daedalus/Tappe.
If the $26 million is denied, then our plan is the option that will be chosen, and one of the reasons is that we can get to bidding stage within 2 months of the vote, instead it taking another 2 -3 years as before.
And if they dare to TRY to nullify our NO-vote by using the permit they requested from the State to do exactly that, and thus force us to pay that additional $26 million against our will (!!!), well then we have another issue for which we must immediately DEMAND NO, with kind firm words, screaming if we have to, and, of course, our turkey lifters). It’s time for us to stamp out BS wherever it rears it’s ugly head – it’s actually our right and our responsibilty to do so – right?
Imagine if everyone attempted to bypass aspects of the process by screaming and holding up what could be used as a weapon until they got their way.
Why is anyone entertaining this?
It’s amazing that such behavior is not only being accepted but applauded. Are you aware that some of the older Tisbury students have taken interest in the news coverage of this project? Do you really think this is a peaceful form of protest to encourage in a public forum, especially when kids are involved?
It’s not.
It’s uncivil, and premeditatedly so now that you’re keen on repeating these tactics, despite claiming it was done in defense. “Kind words” mean absolutely nothing when holding something pointy—something that you only chose to bring *because* of that quality.
If people learn one thing, I hope it’s that.
Give to get. If you want your ideas to be respected and given a fair shot, try showing some for the other people involved. No, there is nothing responsible about your message on how to achieve a civic goal. I don’t want kids thinking this is acceptable behavior.
That thinking could prove dangerous in some places and for some protesters, and that is a fact. Not everyone can get away with it. Not everyone would have a scenario like the one you created end with a sympathetic platform and coddling. Not everyone would be allowed to put their Thanksgiving forks away at their leisure.
Perhaps consider this reality before setting a poor example and boasting about its success.
katie– Just curious what you think about the events of Jan 6 .
Why, Don? So you can turn this into yet another Trump discussion?
I’ve posted what I think about Trump here before. Not a supporter.
You could’ve replied to any number of points I made. You didn’t. You went with the whatabout… instead.
Telling. Always is.
I hold January 6th to the exact same anti-violence standard as I do every other protest or riot, big or small, in line with my views or not.
Which is to say I thought it was vile.
Can you say the same in terms of applying your thoughts on that day to local matters?
You can’t. The proof is all over these pages. What you consider to be acceptable is always based on who’s doing it and whether you’re politically and/or ideologically in sync with that person or cause.
That’s not actually a standard at all.
I don’t look at things that way. I share Anna Edey’s love of nature and concern for the trees. I agree that removal may be premature. I share her desire for a school that is kind to the environment. But I do not share or support that she feels entitled to scream at and threaten people to get her way, nor that she wants to demand and order (her words) the town to stop working on the school as if she’s suddenly in charge.
And it is an implied threat to bring something to function as a weapon. Hence the police.
She plans to do this again because it, in her view, worked. A true shame. A disappointing one at that.
That’s the worst part. Rather than apologizing for an outburst and finding a better way going forward—like actually TALKING to the people involved, which is what happened in the end anyhow—she has doubled down on screaming and “turkey lifters” as acceptable, even beneficial.
And advised others to do the same.
Talk about irresponsible messaging. The job of de-escalation does not exclusively lie with the police. That’s a lazy, non-productive approach. If people truly want a civil, safe Island—and some here clearly don’t—then we all have to actively monitor our own behaviors in public, not wait for the cops to break it up.
We also have to accept official decisions sometimes, even ones we hate. I think that should be obvious by now. I don’t like all of the town’s plans.
This would all be readily evident to everyone here if an obvious conservative were to pull the same exact stunt. Of that much, I have zero doubt.
Hell, hand Alan D—who isn’t even a conservative—a couple of large forks for his next media appearance. Suddenly people will view them as the deadliest weapons that ever weaponed. Hundreds of comments. A crawl on CNN. Movie at 11. lol
Because few like him.
That’s all this comes down to. It’s a popularity contest. People—very much including me—approved of Ms. Edey’s work/efforts/passion prior to this incident. Therefore most will ignore what’s being said and done *now* that in no way represents the let’s-save-democracy approach we pretend to value when it suits us.
This is why I rarely bother to read here anymore. I’m tired of that game. I spoke up because there are countless town projects that wind up hotly contested. Is this what we can look forward to when it doesn’t go someone’s way? I wasn’t being sarcastic earlier. Imagine if everyone behaved as she has. It would be chaos. This opens the door to more people taking the same approach.
That kids who are just finding their place in the world of civics can read this stuff… Well, who cares, right? I do. I happen to think the most important lessons are often not learned in the classroom.
What happened with Ms. Edey and the police is not how protests go down off-Island on most occasions. That was the biggest thing that prompted me to comment, though I knew it would get no serious consideration. Not when there’s January 6th to run back to for the 100th time.
Kids need to understand that MV isn’t the best preparation for the real world, that they cannot grab a sharp object and expect to get a receptive 30-minute audience and a cell number in return. It’s just not a realistic way of handling issues. It’s dangerous for both parties.
If you would like to discuss Trump-y matters further, I have no interest. I’ve read your take.
Dear Katie – thanks for taking the time to voice your opinion, and I trust you will come to agree with my actions and goals as more information unfolds.
Those turkey forks were for my own protection, strictly for self-defense in case someone tried to knock me down.
And it turns out they were the key ingredient that brought the police, which alerted the MV Times, and almost instantly resulted in this excellent and exceptionally accurate article by Natalie Aymond, emphasizing the mutual respect, warmth and kind words that blessed this event (thank you dear Natalie) – which was then followed by this wonderful community conversation.
Please understand that I have been presenting my ideas and designs to the School and the Building Committee since the very beginning, via many emails. All of the members of the School Building Committee (and the School Committee and the Selectmen) received all or most of those many emails, from me directly – many many pages of writing, calculations and illustrations, and comparisons with Tappe.
Over these past 4 years, they have 100% refused to consider any of it, and even went so far as to refuse to enter my correspondence into the public record, which in this case is the Public Comment section of the Tisbury School Project website (is that even legal?).
This is the reason why the good folks of Tisbury know almost nothing about the option I have been proposing over these past 4 years.
And this is the reason why so many think there is no other option than the 82-million-dollar boondoggle (the ACTUAL debt burden would be $132,000,000!! – as follows: $82,000,000 @3.5% over 30 years = $368,216/month x 12 months/year = $4,418,592/year x 30 years.)
BUT the chairman actually ordered me not to talk about that in public – really? yes really.
And, knowing that the kids cannot go back into that sick cramped school, and that they cannot just continue in those awful trailers, and seeing no other option – any caring person would have to vote yes for the additional $26 million. Right?
BUT there is another option!! And now people are finally finding out about it !! And I will keep rolling out the info as fast as I can! (I need help!)
And the 3 key elements that finally crashed through their 4-year silencing-attempt, and thus finally brought this huge issue into public awareness, was a combination of 1: Primal screaming rage and grief, 2: turkey forks for self-defense, and 3: mutual respect, love and kind words.
Yes, this has taught us something very important: if we try hard enough, we can break through the most deadening bureaucracy and the resulting public apathy and fear – WITHOUT resorting to violence, hatred, foul words and insults.
I approve of what I did, and I will do it again when circumstances require (and God knows we have many local issues that we must change!).
I look forward to working with young people to help them overcome the idiocy and destruction wrought by the local adults blindly following the orders of The State, who in turn follow the orders of the Corporations (Title 5 regulations are another perfect example of Government tyranny doing immense harm to our drinkingwater, our ponds and our economy.)
And next comes a solar-green design for the High School, produced by the High School students, with the help from many local experts! That will be so much fun! Stay tuned!
I am in awe and gratitude over how this has been unfolding, and I will do everything I can to keep rolling out the information about what I have been proposing all along: the option that will give us a much better school, at half the cost and ready in half the time.
And again, I am asking for collaboration with our community. I have the starter plan, now it’s up to this community to hop in to help develop it into a real and water-tight proposal.
Katie– calm down.
People have a constitutional right to carry knives and protect themselves. No one was threatened. She’s 82 years old for Spaghetti Monster sake.
Violence is never justified.
The kind of reaction you are having would be more appropriate if there were 3 guys with Ar-15s wearing MAGA hats and carrying confederate battle flags.
Excuse the trump implication, but they seem to be the one’s toting their 2 a rights around in public anytime their feelings get hurt.
Hi Ms Edey. Could you kindly explain why the article says you were carrying sharp carving forks during your protest? Did you intend them to be potential weapons? Were you trying to intimidate the workers? The police? This may cast your behavior as more than simply civil disobedience. It is not lost on the public that were you a young male of a different race wearing a hoodie the outcome for your behavior may have been very different. Tragically so as we have seen many times nationally. I look forward to a vetting of your ideas. But if they are shown not to be all that you claim, will you retract them? Will you do this soon to allow informed voting on the school? Look forward to your responses.
Thanks Ed – You can find my response to your questions in my response to Katie Lane, which I submitted just a few minutes ago.
You are reading tone and subtext that isn’t there, Don.
I am aware of her age. Her age does not preclude her from getting hurt or hurting someone else even accidentally. I am speaking from actual experience on these topics, dealing with de-escalation in VERY similar situations, not just making it up as I go. That means I’m aware of how things can go haywire. Yes, even without guns. I could give plenty of examples.
It is rich being told to calm down about a scenario that could end in injury or change the way people protest around here by a person who feels free to unload with great passion about everything that crosses his mind. I choose serious topics to care about and invest in. The rest of the time I stay quiet. I don’t rant about every crack in the sidewalk. Don’t presume to know where I’m coming from on this. I wasn’t hysterical when writing those comments. I was deeply concerned. Still am. There’s a difference, but trying to explain nuance here is above my pay grade.
I didn’t accuse Ms. Edey of actually assaulting people, and no, I’m not confusing it with an AK scenario. I was trying to get through about the insidiousness of certain tactics. Your comparison to carrying a knife is flawed, but it’s not worth detailing why.
You just proved that you do not understand the broader picture I was driving at. Which is that if Ms. Edey and others take to protesting this way as a habit, promoted in the local paper; so can your infamous goons in MAGA hats or whatever. Then everybody would be on board with this being a bad idea, stat.
I don’t want to go down that slope at all. Don’t even want to get close. It has already happened elsewhere, which I’ve witnessed.
Are other people allowed to have strong feelings about the state and direction of the world, big and small, or just you? You embellish to make me sound foolish, but all you’ve done is reveal your binary thinking more.
Thank you for your reply, Anna. I will look at your plans as they’re revealed and agree with your thoughts about the environment, our duty to provide the kids with so much better, and the need to reduce costs. I don’t doubt that you know more about the specifics of these topics than I do and that you have worked hard.
I was unaware that anyone refused to make your correspondence public. That’s obviously a terrible wrong and would make anyone wildly frustrated. Let me clarify something I said before—I do not fault or judge you for having these frustrations.
I won’t go into detail for fear of boring everyone (further), but I have a great deal of experience with fighting futile battles. It is a particular brand of maddening that I don’t wish on anyone, especially when you have a beautiful vision for how things could be and are stuck looking at a murky reality, aware time is slipping away for no good reason.
My objections and concerns were strictly about how your feelings were expressed. More specifically, preserving the rights of all involved and warding off the potential for bad things to happen in the blink of an eye. When you said that you brought the turkey forks for protection, I did assume that you meant something along those lines. Of course no one wants anyone to push you down or make you feel intimidated.
But by the same token, you never know who you may encounter on a given day or what *they* may need in terms of a peaceful, calm work environment. How you may negatively affect them, even if you don’t intend to. Everyone has a different history with what they perceive as a threat or a bearable amount of yelling and confrontation. With abuse. With panic. With PTSD. It can be frightening to a lot of people, of course, to encounter such a fraught scenario in public unexpectedly and be forced to deal with it. Do you see that side of the equation? Even if you feel it went over okay *this* time, next time could be different.
I want everyone to feel safe no matter what side of the encounter they’re on.
What upset me about your comments, and what kept me feeling a responsibility to respond, was not solely what happened as you were protesting. Perhaps I did not explain this part well. It was your encouragement of others to protest in the same manner, by bringing forks in the future. I respect everyone’s right to peacefully gather. But I cannot stand the thought of anything that can be used as a weapon coming into the mix on purpose.
I have seen how quickly that can go south. Someone can get hurt accidentally. Someone can have a rush of anger and do something rash that you might not foresee. Then that sets off a chain reaction. An onlooker, or those opposed, can feel threatened by what you’re doing and become aggressive. There can be a dangerous misunderstanding. Lastly, it can create huge tensions with police. I understand that didn’t happen this time, that the officers did a good job, but everyone situation varies. Why roll the dice?
Maybe the solution is to protest peacefully in groups so you don’t feel vulnerable on your own. There have been many protests like this on the Island that still managed to generate media attention and social media support without any additional risk factors from weapons. I wondered why you didn’t contact this paper directly and ask them to feature your project ideas or the issue with the trees beforehand, which is a more direct route of obtaining publicity than how this unfolded. Maybe you tried that avenue, though. I dunno.
I think a lot of people went along with this without looking at the underlying danger because they feel the trees were a noble cause. I, too, agree that preserving trees whenever healthy/possible is the ethical thing to do. Also, they’re wicked pretty.
The problem is that once one group starts bringing objects that can cause injury, and the police allow it, and the public widely supports it, then we have to open up that option to ALL. Well, there are many groups with beliefs/demands that I do not want to see expressed on the streets with weapons in hand, even if it’s a household item repurposed. It is the classic slippery slope.
I think there is far greater harm to be had from choosing this method of protest than can possibly be explained here. There has to be a universal standard of non-violence and non-threat. Being armed, even if it’s not with a gun, will always inch us closer to frank violence than not, because it adds that variable. That in-hand possibility. It doesn’t even matter what your conscious mind says or intends. We are still instinctual animals to a degree. People see a weapon and their defenses go up. That hormonal cascade then affects sound thinking. Before you know it, something can get out of control, and people can behave in ways they didn’t see coming.
No weapon, no domino effect.
Once this can of worms is open—once folks start showing up with sharp things on the regular just to be heard—it won’t be easy to undo, noble motives or not. I mean that sincerely, no sarcasm. The world is falling apart enough. This direction is not one worth going in when well-planned, unarmed protests can mostly mitigate the need for personal protection. Sometimes you can even coordinate with police ahead of time if that layer of safety adds to your peace of mind.
I also agree with Ed Jones’s comments on race. We have to set a clear example for all kids that will get them safely through life. The best way to do that is to model non-violent gatherings. Because, respectfully, the kind of school they attend won’t matter much if they end up in unsafe situations down the road. And what constitutes unsafe is, sadly, partially dependent on how they are perceived by the public at large.
I wanted to reply to a few more tidbits, but this is already too lengthy. Thanks for talking with me. I am sorry that your journey of trying to get the school off the ground has been unfairly hampered. What a loss for these kids.
I’m late to the table here and have no skin in the game so forgive if the question I pose has been previously answered….
seems the town is pretty much stuck with approving the additional costs to bring this construction to fruition. All the grousing and rehashing of errors past will not alter the reality.
So – what is the actual impact of the cost of this construction on the residential and commercial tax-rates in Tisbury, how will the the average homeowner’s $$$ burden be impacted, and for how many years ? Again – apologies if this is well-known knowledge.
Require all construction elements to be re-evaluated for trimming/savings. Vote out local elected officials you believe have served the town poorly. Pursue any opportunity to re-apply for state monies. Cut down the rotted trees and try your damndest (sp ?) to preserve the living. Be nicer to each other. Cripes. If we can’t unite over the building of a safe school for island children, what hope is there….
Thanks Mike – you can find my response to your questions in my response to Katie Lane, which I submitted just a few minutes ago.
I had second grade in trailers at vh is was a bummer.
Lane and Scott sparring. Epstein and Keller at it. Edey and Lane and Scott going at it. Cillian and Keller fighting. Keller and Lane going at it. So many permutations of liberals at each other. I love it. 82 year old with turkey forks is a danger. 82 year old thinks too highly of her self but will likely be the impetus for killing this school. Where is Hess with non sequiturs?. Keller reminds us that people have a constitutional right to carry knives to defend themselves but rails against guns. Interesting that Lane and Scott and Edey and Cillian are very good wordsmiths though. Much better than men.
Comments are closed.