West Tisbury, MA

Meetings

4:30 pm
The first Wednesday of the month

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available before the meetings. Minutes are available and approved.

Prior Minutes and Agendas

Members

Co-Chair

Sue Hruby

Co-Chair

Nicola Blake

Committee Member

Zada Clarke

Committee Member

Luanne Johnson

Committee Member

Michelle Gittlen

Staff

Board Administrator

Kate Guiney

Overview

Planting locally is a great way to reduce energy and water use and have a climate-adapted yard. Once native plants are established, they require less care and less water.

It's a great way to go for landscaping, especially if you're just starting with landscaping, renovating, or planning a new space.

For more information, visit The Vineyard Way.

Updates

Announcement: The EV chargers at the West Tisbury School are live and online

There are 4 Level 2 ChargePoint connectivity plugs in the school parking lot just off Old County near the tennis courts (see pic below).

The chargers are available to the public year-round. Payment for the electricity is easy via your phone App.

The EV chargers are sited across from an entrance to the State Forest, where you can access many miles of trails and a shared-use path while you and your car recharge your batteries.

The Climate Action Committee supports the electric leaf-blower phase-in article on the Town Warrant for 2025. For a draft of the bylaw and tips on transitioning to electric, visit Vineyard Conservation Society

The Martha's Vineyard Climate Action Plan, which can be found at The Vineyard Way, is our guide to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing the impacts of climate change, and creating a healthier and more resilient community for everyone.

The West Tisbury Climate Advisory Committee helps the Town prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Charge to the West Tisbury Climate Advisory Committee

The Select Board, in view of the climate crisis, which the Governor describes as affecting all aspects of human endeavor, hereby establishes a Climate Advisory Committee that:

Consists of 5-7 members appointed by the Select Board for three-year terms each, dating from the Annual Town Meeting, in three classes, offset by one year, with no term limits.
Consists of representatives of Town Departments, Boards, and Committees most impacted by Climate Change, e.g., Planning Board, Energy Committee, Conservation Commission, Emergency Management, plus up to two "at large" members;
Annually nominates and elects by majority vote a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and a Clerk at the next meeting after the annual town meeting.

Climate Committee Charge

Enable the Town to prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Climate Committee Mission

Assist and advise the Town towards achieving State and Local Climate goals by:

Providing support to Town Departments, Boards, and Committees in making decisions that will result in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and increased sustainability, including reviewing and updating Town by-laws and regulations at least annually, such that all Town activities are viewed through a "Climate Lens";
Communicating with and educating Town residents about adapting, mitigating, and preparing for Climate Change.

Key risks and actions recommended for the town are included in our draft 5-year plan: (Link coming)

Specific risks include Storm and Fire preparedness. We encourage you to review the storm and Fire Risk information to help individuals prepare for these events.

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Storm Prep Card (PDF)
Cartão de Preparação para Tempestade
Fire Safety (PDF)

Wildfire is the number 1 climate concern for West Tisbury. Click below to read the report that was finished in September 2021, which assesses island wildfire risk.

Dukes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (PDF)

On October 6, 2020, the Town supported a non-binding resolution to eliminate its reliance on fossil fuels by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2040, increase the fraction of Town energy use that is renewable to 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2040; and foster biosphere carbon capture through the adoption of regenerative agriculture and landscaping, protection and expansion of wetlands, and preservation of woodland resources.