To the Editor:
A few thoughts on a recent editorial (“Through the rancor, Chilmark finds compromise,” April 24). Here are a few quotes from it: “A ragged edge that too often separates summer residents from the year-round community,” “The Martha’s Vineyard Times should have worked harder to see that there were indeed some profound underlying issues around how community leaders govern,” and “The style of governance truly matters, and a culture of mutual respect is necessary.”
My issue is that you can’t make these statements while acting totally oblivious to blatant contradictions to them.
Here are the two best examples: The town of Chilmark used Community Preservation Act money, public money, for the Squibnocket town beach renovation, then denies the general public walk-on access. The West Tisbury select board has a “diversity statement” where they state they will treat everyone equally in all dealings with the town, while denying walk-on public access to Lambert’s Cove Beach, a town park. They have also stated you can’t walk on from the abutting, newly opened James Pond Land Bank property. If you’re not going to address these contradictions with your lofty statements about “good governing” and “mutual respect,” please refrain from making them in the future.
Erik Albert
Oak Bluffs
