Opinion
LACKING BALANCE
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
From Gazette editions of January, 1962:
The latest addition to the Island’s intertown, fire-fighting brigade is the new maxim pumper, delivered a few days ago to the town of Oak Bluffs. This pumper has a 750 gallons per minute capacity, and carries a reserve water supply of 500 gallons. Voted by the annual town meeting, it replaces an older piece of apparatus of similar style and capacity.
Edgartown selectman Michael Donaroma has a good suggestion for resolving the endless and potentially costly bickering over the roundabout: put a nonbinding question on annual town ballots Islandwide this spring and find out what the voters really think.
What began as a reasonable debate over the merits of the project has now devolved into a procedural squabble. Will we feel any better if a judge tells us it was — or wasn’t — approved in strict accordance with the law? Not likely.
Recently, many people have talked to me about the Oak Bluffs roundabout. These talks left me with the impression that many people do not fully understand the project or the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s role. And so, speaking for myself, I’d like to address some items.
What follows are an edited selection of e-mails sent to the Chilmark planning board from town property owners in advance of the board’s meeting this week to discuss the issue of extra large houses.
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BEWARE OF COMCAST
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
On Dec. 19, I received a phone call from Comcast offering to reduce the cost of my cable service, upgrade my high-speed modem and eliminate my Verizon home telephone bill completely. The savings offered were considerable. I agreed.