Remy Tumin
Tribal members from across the country gathered at the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) tribal headquarters on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the spring season at the annual Spring Social.
Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais said the annual gathering marks a time for new beginnings.
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has no authority to build a casino on the Vineyard under state or federal law, town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport said in an opinion this week.
The opinion was requested by the chairman of the Aquinnah selectmen three weeks ago, following an announcement by the tribe that it would consider some kind of casino operation on the Vineyard as it scrambles to compete for one of three state gambling licenses expected to be issued in the coming months.
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has vowed to go to federal court if necessary to win the right to build a casino, after Gov. Deval Patrick rebuffed the tribe’s attempt to come to the negotiating table last week.
Claiming the state has the right to regulate gambling on Indian lands, an attorney for the governor wrote in a letter that the Vineyard tribe waived its sovereignty more than 20 years ago when it signed a settlement agreement. But the tribe contends that federal Indian gaming law trumps state law.
Chilmark voters elected a new selectman, pledged money for studying town ponds and approved a hefty budget hike at the annual town meeting and election this week.
Voters elected real estate agent and Chilmark Store owner Bill Rossi for a three year term to the board of selectmen on Wednesday. Mr. Rossi won with 186 votes. He succeeds longtime selectman Frank Fenner, who did not seek reelection after four terms. A late write-in campaign by Alan Porter earned him 54 votes.
At a potluck lunch on Tuesday afternoon to honor Frank Fenner on his retirement after 12 years as a Chilmark selectmen, Chuck Hodgkinson, who has worked on many special projects with Mr. Fenner, read a top ten list of things the town employees will miss about Mr. Fenner.
“Number eight - receiving a 92 item punch list with details such as ‘front bedroom on right is missing a nail where the gable meets the closet.’”
West Tisbury selectmen decided this week they will continue to purchase fuel for town vehicles from the Vineyard Transit Authority, despite complaints from the owners of Up-Island Automotive who told the selectmen last week the switch to discounted gasoline has hurt their business.