Affordable Housing Initiative Clears Key Hurdles at Ballot Box

By JAMES KINSELLA

Voters in three Vineyard towns yesterday brought the Island a step closer to the creation of a housing bank by backing the initiative and enacting the Community Preservation Act.

Approval of the CPA in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury provided a crucial step on the road to establishment of a housing bank, which would be modeled on the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank.

Facing the possibility of up to $1 million in unplanned fuel costs, Steamship Authority management is taking a hard look at slowing down its ferrie

Disgruntled Worker Accused of Cutting Adelphia Cable

By JAMES KINSELLA

A former Adelphia service technician has been accused of sabotaging company property last Saturday, cutting more than 4,000 Vineyard residents off from cable television service for about 30 hours.

Michael F. Kemly, 47, of Herring Creek Road in Edgartown, was charged Monday in Edgartown district court with 11 felony counts of malicious destruction of property worth more than $250, and of larceny of more than $250.

Three Annual Town Meetings Open Tuesday:
Oak Bluffs

By JAMES KINSELLA

A proposal to fund the design of a new town hall tops the warrant facing Oak Bluffs voters next Tuesday.

Additional issues to come before the town meeting include a $20.3 million budget for the pending fiscal year, the expenditure of $94,000 in ferry embarkation fee revenue, and adding the North Bluff to the Cottage City historic district.

Blueprint Ready, Oak Bluffs Board Seeks Money for Town Hall Plan

By JAMES KINSELLA

An Oak Bluffs town committee is prepared to recommend that taxpayers fund the design of a new town hall. Voters at the April 12 annual town meeting will be asked to approve borrowing $225,000 toward the town hall design. Should the town approve the design, and at a later town meeting approve its construction, the overall cost could come in around $5.4 million.

Community Preservation Comes Before Taxpayers at Annual Town Meeting

By JAMES KINSELLA
Gazette Senior Writer

Abbe Burt looks at initiatives such as the Community Preservation Act and the Community Housing Bank, and sees important ways of addressing the Vineyard's lack of affordable housing.

Richard Combra, an Oak Bluffs selectman, looks at the same initiatives and sees another tax on Island residents.