West Tisbury selectmen agreed last week to name Kate Warner as the new town vulnerability coordinator.
Ms. Warner came before the board Wednesday to propose acting as a liaison among Island emergency services, municipal vulnerability planners, and community members to create a response plan for possible natural disasters.
A longtime town resident, she founded the Vineyard Energy Project in 2003 and served as the organization’s director until 2008. She has worked in alternative energy for decades. “Power outages, like what happened in Puerto Rico, are a big risk. We are vulnerable to all sorts of catastrophic events just by nature of being an Island,” she told selectmen.
Selectman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd supported naming Ms. Warner to the position, which will be unpaid. “I cannot see anyone more passionate or more qualified for this job,” Mr. Manter said.
Selectman Cynthia Mitchell agreed, and urged Ms. Warner to use her leadership skills to bring people together. “This position will be important because we must coordinate, not duplicate, steps already being taken,” she said.
All Vineyard towns are in various stages of working on municpal vulnerability preparedness plans in the face of climate change.
In other business, selectmen approved a one-day beer and wine permit for World Market Monday at the Grange Hall on July 8.
They also approved a highway superintendent job description and discussed hiring plans for the new town shellfish agent, a summer position.
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