Chilmark meets its candidates

A large crowd packed into the Chilmark library on Monday evening to hear from candidates running for a seat on the town’s select board, just over a week before the town’s annual election. 

The candidates’ forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard, gave candidates in town a chance to introduce themselves. Most residents attended in anticipation of getting to know the select board candidates, ask them questions, and hear their ideas head-to-head, but one candidate, who launched an 11th hour write-in campaign, was not there. 

In attendance was Rebecca Haag, who is well-known in her leadership roles at Island Grown Initiative and as board chair of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and elsewhere, who is on the town ballot for the select board. She introduced herself at the meeting and stood before the packed audience, answering a barrage of questions from residents.

Not present in person was Katherine Carroll, who wrote a statement which was read aloud by town resident and a friend of Carroll’s, Alicia Knight. Carroll, who owns and operates the Menemsha Texaco and serves as chair of the Chilmark board of health, said she was unable to attend due to an off-Island family obligation.

“Chilmark doesn’t change easily, and that’s exactly what I love about it. But loving a place means showing up for it — which is why I am asking for your write-in vote for select board,” Carroll’s statement reads.

Some residents expressed disappointment at Carroll’s failure to show up, as several had prepared questions for her and wanted to hear her answers. 

Edward Miller, a Chilmark resident, pointed out that the select board, which has three members, may face a challenge if Carroll ever needed to recuse herself due to conflict-of-interest guidelines provided by the State Ethics Commission. This is pertinent considering her husband, Marshall Carroll, is on the town’s finance committee, and her brother-in-law, Tim Carroll, is the town administrator. 

Miller’s question was put to Carroll after the meeting, and she replied, “In a small town, you often find that there are these types of overlaps, and I am really good at compartmentalizing and not seeing Marshall as my husband and Tim as my brother-in-law at the table. We have worked well together over 30 years, and I feel like it wouldn’t have an impact on how I treat the well-being of the town of Chilmark.” 

At the forum, Haag, who has lived in Chilmark full-time for 11 years, and on a part-time basis for 35 years, said she wants to run for the select board because she “gets things done” and highlighted that she has no conflicts of interest, saying, “So I can serve you all in a very balanced way.” 

“We can get housing done, we can get telephone access for people — I think that’s a public safety issue — we have a tick problem, we have a problem with the water quality in our town, and I think the role of the select board should be to work with various groups around town to find solutions to those problems,” said Haag.

Describing herself as innovative and focused on consensus-building, Haag said she is all about “bringing people together from the inside and the outside,” as she gestured to the residents who did not find a seat inside the library and had to listen from the outside. The crowd laughed as many residents viewed the packed meeting from outside window panes, hallways, and doorways. 

On housing, Haag recalled when voters approved the Peaked Hill Pastures project four years ago at the annual town meeting, but said that progress has slowed. She also pointed to her experience building six housing units on her own farm. 

“There are people on the Island that we can work with, and that’s what I do,” said Haag. “I’m about bringing coalitions together. I have a track record of getting things done, and Peaked Hill needs to get done.”

In response to questions from residents, Haag also voiced support for local farmers, championed Island Grown Initiative’s efforts in schools to teach children about growing food, and honored Chilmark’s tradition of being a dry town. Haag also highlighted that as chair of the hospital board, she has advocated for issues that Chilmark faces, such as tick-borne diseases.

Haag announced that the hospital recently purchased the building next to Conroy & Co. Real Estate, and plan to turn it into a local clinic, with two ophthalmologists and one audiologist.

Haag said, “We want to have a tick clinic there this summer, so that if people get tick bites, as opposed to having to drive all the way to the hospital, we actually have something right there where they can come see a nurse practitioner immediately.”

Carroll, a longtime member of the historical commission, described the town in her statement as at a “pivotal crossroads” and needing to balance maintaining tradition and meeting modern demands. 

Carroll’s statement to the gathering addressed head-on criticism that her write-in candidacy came late in the process: “You are correct, I didn’t pull nomination papers during the standard filing period … I wasn’t planning to run. But after conversations with many of you, I realized that sitting on the sidelines wasn’t really an option.” 

Carroll also highlighted her involvement in developing PFAS testing programs and organizing the attention of town leadership on issues like tick-borne diseases, climate change, pond health, and other environmental concerns. 

“This isn’t about being ‘anti-progress’; it’s about taking a breath to ensure our infrastructure can support the current pace and the changes we choose to make align with our vision. We need to prioritize integrity and grow at a pace that allows us to retain our town’s unique character, not whittle it away,” said Carroll. 

“I also believe we cannot call ourselves a complete community if our young families can’t afford to stay. Housing efforts like Peaked Hill Pastures matter,” she said in her statement. 

Additionally, voters will decide on a number of uncontested races, including seats on the board of assessors, board of health, planning board, cemetery commission, and the trustees of the public library. Ballot questions include proposals for additional funding for up-Island schools, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, one additional full-time EMT, and funding to increase hours of operation for the Chilmark library. Question 5, 6, and 7 ask voters whether the town should allow or pursue macro cellular telephone towers to improve coverage and service. 

The town election is scheduled for April 29, and Haag and Carroll are competing to fill the select board seat currently held by Marie Larsen, who is not seeking re-election. Polls will open at noon on Wednesday at the Chilmark Community Center, and close at 8 pm.