American Tower Corporation, the company that wants to build a distributed antenna system (DAS) to improve cell phone coverage in the three up-Island towns, formally submitted revised plans to Chilmark last week that include a letter from the wireless carrier T-Mobile expressing interest in leasing space on the new system.

Despite heated debate and pointed criticism aimed at certain town leaders, Oak Bluffs voters during a standing-room only special town meeting on Tuesday agreed to cut nearly $500,000 from the current town budget and spend $2.4 million for wastewater improvements that will connect the regional high school and new YMCA to the town sewer system.

A total of 163 voters packed the Oak Bluffs school cafeteria at the start of the meeting, a high number for a special town meeting.

As the fall athletic season heads into the home stretch, the field hockey and boys’ soccer teams this week moved closer to a berth in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.

Meanwhile the football team stumbled with a crushing loss to Somerset last Friday, while boys’ and girls’ cross country each posted wins against Bishop Stang and Barnstable as they wrap up another stellar season under coach Joe Schroeder.

Cross Country

For the past eight years the Community Preservation Act has provided funding for cash-strapped Island towns looking to preserve historic landmarks, protect open space and create affordable housing.

But in another indicator of the ongoing recession, the state this year has drastically reduced the match paid to towns, who raise their own money through the act’s property tax surcharge. The match for some Island towns has dropped more than 50 per cent, and many local officials are warning things could get worse before they get better.

Like traffic lights and fast food restaurants, taxi cab meters have traditionally been a verboten topic on the Vineyard.

But following a string of complaints this summer about taxi companies overcharging customers, selectmen from all six Island towns have now agreed on the need for uniform taxi regulations.

The problem was a topic for discussion during last week’s meeting of the all-Island selectmen. Uniform rates and meters were both discussed, a review of the videotape of the meeting shows.

At their first meeting since a state order was issued banning residents from drinking their tap water for nearly a week, Oak Bluffs selectmen acknowledged the town did a poor job informing the public during the crisis and vowed to do better in the future.