The Aquinnah select board wants more information before it supports a shared-use agreement for a Menemsha dock lease.
Vern Welch, a Menemsha dock leaseholder, met with the board on Thursday and informed them that he has been in discussion with the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group about the possibility of raising some of their shellfish seeds until they can be “sold and distributed” at his dock.
“They’re running out of room, and they see my place as being able to expand. Not building-wise, but to raise their young seeds,” Welch said. “There’d be a conflict for usage, because I don’t own the seeds, they will.”
When board member Tom Murphy asked whether this was a request for permission to sublease his dock, Welch clarified that he will be doing “all of the work.”
“I’m going to be getting an education from them, they’re gonna try to pull the permits for me,” Welch said. “I’ll just be like a grower for them, and hope to expand at some point to do it myself.”
Welch said the plan is to start with quahogs, and the shellfish group is “trying to find the stock that we have, that has purple in it.” Welch said the hope with the work is to “keep our stock and not have to buy from the Cape and other areas, essentially.”
“I’m not going to own seed, or small growth or anything like that, probably for two years. By that time I would have educated myself to do it myself,” Welch said. “My thing is to make sure you guys know they’re helping me, and it’s not my product right now.”
Although nothing is set in stone, Welch said he wants to get to a point where he can offer this service to the town. But he needs permission first to work with the shellfish group to get things set up.
Wendy Swolinsky, another leaseholder, asked whether shared usage would be allowed if the board approves this request. Murphy said if it was approved, it is possible to do it conditionally once any necessary permits are obtained by Welch.
“I would think that the select board would look at every proposal individually and determine whether or not it’s in the town’s best interests to have a shared use of the facility,” Murphy said.
Board chair Juli Vanderhoop said she heard from shellfish group executive director Emma Green-Beach about this on Thursday, and how quahog spawns are being studied. “I am familiar with the hatchery, and that they are running out of room down there,” Vanderhoop said. “I think this would only benefit our town. I don’t think there’s money being passed through.”
However, Vanderhoop said she would like to hear more information about the program before making a decision. Welch will return to the Nov. 15 meeting for further discussion.
In other business, the board unanimously nominated Allen Rugg and James Mahoney to the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) building committee. The board also unanimously appointed Kathy Newman and Luke Lefeber to the Aquinnah climate and energy committee.
Meanwhile, the board unanimously accepted Berta Welch’s resignation from the Aquinnah planning board. The board also unanimously approved replacing Susan Collins with Adrian Higgins on the Howes House building committee.
Town administrator Jeffrey Madison told The Times this replacement came at the request of Collins, who felt Higgins would be a better fit for the committee.
To make sure town employees and officials participate in a new conflict-of-interest training from the state Ethics Commission and understand the law, the board unanimously appointed Aquinnah town clerk Gabriella Camilleri to oversee the process.
The board unanimously approved the amended MVRHS regional agreement, as well as the state election warrant.