The Chilmark selectmen sounded off this week about the decision by the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Menemsha channel despite the town’s objections.

In an April 7 letter the Corps said it planned to go ahead with the $1.95 million project.

At their meeting this week the selectmen made it clear they were unhappy with the decision.

“They don’t comment on any reasons for opposing the project, they ignore our objections all together,” said selectman and board chairman Warren Doty. “They feel compelled to continue to keep Menemsha Pond open for a harbor of refuge for ships seeking protection. Improving navigation in this channel is not going to increase the use of Menemsha Pond as a harbor of refuge for commercial boats, it will create more recreational boating,” he added.

“I’m not surprised but I am ticked off,” said selectman Jonathan Mayhew.

Funding for the project comes from the $50 billion Hurricane Sandy relief bill passed in 2012. The channel is designated by the Army Corps as a federal navigation project. The basin spans the towns of Chilmark and Aquinnah. The two towns have differing views over the dredging project. Aquinnah and the Wampanoag Tribe want the work done and believe it will be a benefit. But in February Chilmark pulled its support, citing concerns about disturbance to shellfish beds and opening up the pond to more large boat traffic.

“At this time we have very few 40-foot boats of any type that go up into the pond,” Mr. Doty said. “This will establish this as a channel that is good for larger recreational boats and increase the recreational use of Menmehsa Pond by large vessels. It’s a great pond the way it is. We have a very natural setting it’s being used for. It’s going to change if we do this dredging.”

Mr. Mayhew also questioned the rationanle behind the dredging plan. He said not all the shoaling in the harbor was due to Hurricane Sandy.

“Making a hurricane be the issue, there’s some degree of truth to it at the breakwaters and jetties, but other areas it’s just baloney,” said Mr. Mayhew, a longtime commercial fisherman.

Everett Poole, the town moderator and a longtime businessman and fisherman on the Menemsha waterfront, agreed.

“The shoaling in the channel had nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy, it was already that way,” Mr. Poole said. “I think we need to stress the fact that having a deep, straight channel is going to wash the scallop seed out of the pond like it did before.”

The selectmen unanimously approved sending a letter reiterating their opposition to the project and requesting a public hearing on the Island.

In other waterfront business, harbor master Dennis Jason, Jr. said he was concerned with the slow progress of the new U.S. Coast Guard boathouse under construction. A construction barge is blocking several of the town-leased slips in the harbor and must be moved by May 15, Mr. Jason said.

Mr. Doty concurred. “We need the barge out of there our slips are unusable there,” he said. “That’s our biggest concern.”

The selectmen also held a public hearing for Proposition 2 1/2 override question that will appear on the town ballot this year. Voters will be asked to approve a $122,000 override question; school spending has driven the town operating budget over the levy limit. The town election is April 30.

The board also approved extending Josh Aronie’s permit to operate his food truck through May 2. The truck will be parked at the Home Port parking lot beginning Monday.

“Thank you, it’s been a big help this winter,” selectman Bill Rossi said.

“It’s been great to be welcomed back to the community,” Mr. Aronie said.

sounded off this week on a proposed federal dredge project in Menemsha Harbor and called for more public input.

At the selectmen’s weekly meeting on Tuesday, the board said a public hearing should be held before the Army Corps of Engineers proceeds to remove six feet of material from the channel, basin and into Menemsha Pond. The Army Corps notified the selectmen in an April 7 letter that they were moving forward with the project despite objections from the town.

“They don’t comment on any reasons for opposing the project, they ignore our objections all together,” said selectman and board chairman Warren Doty. “They feel compelled to continue to keep Menemsha Pond open for a harbor of refuge for ships seeking protection. Improving navigation in this channel is not going to increase the use of Menemsha Pond as a harbor of refuge for commercial boats, it will create more recreational boating.”

“I’m not surprised but I am ticked off,” selectman Jonathan Mayhew said.

The $1.95 million project stems from

Funding for the project comes from the $50 billion Hurricane Sandy relief bill passed in 2012. The channel is designated by the Army Corps as a federal navigation project. The basin spans the towns of Chilmark and Aquinnah. The two towns disagree over the dredging project. Aquinnah and the Wampanoag Tribe want the work done and believe it will be a benefit. But Chilmarkand has the backing from the Aquinnah selectman and Wampanaog Tribe of Gay Head.

The town of Chilmark pulled their support in February due to concerns about disturbing the shellfish beds and increasing large yacht traffic in Menemsha Pond.

“At this time we have very few 40 foot boats of any type that go up into the pond,” Mr. Doty said. “This will establish this as a channel that is good for larger recreational boats and increase the recreational use of Menmehsa Pond by large vessels. It’s a great pond the way it is. We have a very natural setting it’s being used for. It’s going to change if we do this dredging.”

Mr. Mayhew also questioned the rationanle behind the dredging plan. He said not all the shoaling in the harbor was due to Hurricane Sandy.

“Making a hurricane be the issue, there’s some degree of truth to it at the breakwaters and jetties, but other areas it’s just baloney,” said Mr. Mayhew, a longtime commercial fisherman.

Everett Poole, the town moderator and a longtime businessman and fisherman on the Menemsha waterfront, agreed.

“The shoaling in the channel had nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy, it was already that way,” Mr. Poole said. “I think we need to stress the fact that having a deep, straight channel is going to wash the scallop seed out of the pond like it did before.”

The selectmen unanimously approved sending a letter reiterating their opposition to the project and requesting a public hearing on the Island.

In other waterfront business, harbor master Dennis Jason, Jr. said he was concerned with the slow progress of the new U.S. Coast Guard boathouse under construction. A construction barge is blocking several of the town-leased slips in the harbor and must be moved by May 15, Mr. Jason said.

Mr. Doty concurred. “We need the barge out of there our slips are unusable there,” he said. “That’s our biggest concern.”

The selectmen also held a public hearing for Proposition 2 1/2 override question that will appear on the town ballot this year. Voters will be asked to approve a $122,000 override question; school spending has driven the town operating budget over the levy limit.

They also approved extending Josh Aronie’s permit to operate his food truck through May 2. The truck will be parked at the Home Port parking lot beginning Monday.

“Thank you, it’s been a big help this winter,” selectman Bill Rossi said.

“It’s been great to be welcomed back to the community,” Mr. Aronie said.