Aquinnah Opens Annual Town Meeting with Free Cash Unsettled Once
Again

By MAX HART

After a tumultuous fiscal year that saw three failed attempts at a
Proposition 2 1/2 override, an operating budget pared to the bone and
the use of reserve funds to pay for basic town services, Aquinnah voters
will look for a new start at their annual town meeting on Tuesday night.

They will be greeted by a 22-article warrant that includes a
$2,487,521 operating budget, almost a dozen separate spending requests
and several nonspending resolutions with Islandwide implications.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the old town hall building with
moderator Walter Delaney presiding.

The following day, voters will head to the polls to choose a new
selectman for the next three years. Carl Widdiss, who after nine years
on the board decided not to run for reelection, will not be on the
ballot. Running in her second straight campaign and hoping to take Mr.
Widdiss' seat is Camille Rose, a longtime member of the planning
board. She will be challenged by write-in candidate Faith Vanderhoop,
who is running for office for the first time. In the only other contest
on the ballot, Richard Lee will challenge Michael Stutz for a spot on
the board of assessors. Mr. Stutz is the incumbent.

Polls open are from noon until 8 p.m. at the town hall.

But on Tuesday evening, all eyes will be on the town's
spending proposals for the next fiscal year, and a big question mark
looms: will there be a free cash figure?

Free cash, money unspent from the previous year's budget, can
be applied to the following year's expenses pending certification
by the state Department of Revenue. Last year, Aquinnah had no free cash
and was forced to turn overrides to cover town operating expenses and
other expenditures. But three override attempts failed, and the town was
forced to run for a year on a skeleton budget.

This year, the town meeting will again begin with no guarantees
about free cash.

By law, a town can only publish its warrant based on known revenues,
so override requests were built into this year's warrant with the
hope that the free cash figure arrives before the meeting. Over $170,000
in overrides, including a $90,000 general override for the town
operating budget, will be needed if the town again ends up with no free
cash.

At press time, Aquinnah town accountant Marjorie Spitz was still
awaiting word from the state on that figure, which she estimated at over
$150,000.

With or without free cash, voters will take up the 22-article
warrant, starting with the town's operating budget. This
year's budget reflects a six per cent increase from last
year's requested amount of $2.3 million. Most of the increase can
be tracked to a sharp rise in public safety costs, which jumped 23 per
cent. The cost of ambulance service is up 40 per cent and expenses for
the shellfish and harbor master's department are up 84 per cent.
During last year's budget crunch, voters declined to pay the
Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group assessment; this year the
assessment comes in at $25,000.

General government rose from $335,020 to $385,896, but most of the
increase stems from $30,000 in additional funding for a new town manager
position.

Education spending is down six per cent from $909,451 to $860,108.

Almost half of the 22 articles on the warrant are spending requests.
The largest request is a $160,000 capital expenditure for a new tanker
truck for the fire department. Other spending requests include $32,000
for a new police cruiser, $4,600 for a new copy machine and $3,200 for a
new shed the shellfish department wants to build at the West Basin
landing.

Voters will also be asked to spend $17,000 for the town's
share in paramedic training for Tri-Town emergency medical technicians
and up to $17,630 for a two-year pilot program sponsored by the Vineyard
Transit Authority to fund year-round service for the Senior Day program.

There are several nonspending articles. In an effort to increase
accountability and efficiency in the town hall, selectmen will ask
voters to decide whether two positions - tax collector and
treasurer - should be changed from elected to appointed positions.
Voters will also be asked if the two positions should be consolidated
into one job, a common practice in towns around the state. Currently,
Audrey Jeffers-Mayhew performs both duties.

In an effort to generate more revenue for the town, voters will also
be asked to adopt a rooms tax for inns and bed and breakfasts allowed
under state law. The four per cent levy would take effect July 1 of this
year, and according to Ms. Spitz, would generate approximately $4,000 to
$6,000 a year.

Over $100,000 generated from the Community Preservation Act awaits
dispersal to various community preservation funds, pending approval by
voters.

Aquinnah is also the last town to vote on the creation of the
Martha's Vineyard Housing Bank. The resolution has passed in each
town and will move into the legislative phase if Aquinnah voters say
yes.

In the town election on Wednesday, voters will choose between a
veteran of town affairs and a political newcomer for their next
selectman. Camille Rose is a longtime member of the town planning board
who ran against Mr. Widdiss last year and lost by four votes. Ms.
Vanderhoop, who has never held town office, has publicly pledged an
aggressive write-in campaign.

Both candidates have stated a desire to improve the relationship
between the town and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), foster
greater trust and involvement among town residents, and find solutions
to the fiscal problems that have hamstrung the community in recent
years.

"Being involved in town affairs for over 30 years I think says
something about my commitment to Aquinnah, but it also gives me a
certain perspective on how to make it better," Ms. Rose said.
"I think I can bring a new way to look at financial affairs. I
really believe there are many things we can do to make this town
stronger if we only work more closely together. There is a tremendous
amount of talent in this town, and I want to tap into it."

Ms. Vanderhoop could not be reached for comment.