Town to seek new bids for Aquinnah Circle 

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) pushes for more discussion with the town and more tribal representation. 

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The Aquinnah select board listening to what the crowd has to say about 9 Aquinnah Circle. — Eunki Seonwoo

The Aquinnah select board unanimously voted to reissue the request for proposal (RFP) for the 9 Aquinnah Circle property, which came under debate during a previous meeting, during a Tuesday meeting. This time around, representatives from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and Aquinnah Cultural Center will be included in the RFP process. 

Two letters were also sent to the board about this, from the center and from Aquinnah Wampanoag chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais. The letters were about the use of the property, the historic relationship the tribe has with the buildings and the land, the lack of tribal representation, and the right of first refusal. 

The right of first refusal is an intergovernmental agreement between Aquinnah and the Aquinnah Wampanoag approved and signed in 2001, saying leases owned by the town will be offered first to the tribe, according to Mike Hebert, a former Aquinnah select board member. In the agreement’s language, it was about eight lots, so board member Tom Murphy suggested sending it to town counsel first. 

Members of the tribe weighed in about the RFP process and the town’s relationship with the tribe. “Our relationship with the town since I’ve been home has had its ups and downs,” Aquinnah Wampanoag councilwoman Kristina Hook said. “I would like to think this would be an opportunity for us to sit down together and try to start treating each other with the respect each entity deserves … I ask the select board at the very least to restart this procedure again.” 

Board member Juli Vanderhoop, who is also an Aquinnah Wampanoag member, said she can see this issue from both sides. Vanderhoop advocated for the town and the tribe to sit down and discuss what would improve Aquinnah. “We’re really trying to make the town a thriving place, and I think this is where we start. Coming to the table and having these discussions is really important,” Vanderhoop said. 

Aquinnah Wampanoag councilman Kevin Devine agreed with the need to fix relationships between the town and the tribe. “I didn’t know how fragile you guys’ relationship with the tribe was in the past, and we’re trying to mend that relationship,” Devine said to the board. “I just want everybody to know we’ll work with you guys in whatever way that we can.” 

Murphy attempted to explain the difficulty of redoing the RFP process. He prefaced by saying he “wants to do the right thing,” and is not against the tribe. Murphy continued by saying the RFP process began last November, and resulted in Alexandra Taylor winning the bid. Murphy said there were certain criteria used to select the winning bid: strong ties to the Island’s year-round community, open for at least six months of the year, offering benefits to the town (e.g. rent payment, building improvements, etc.), does not conflict with other businesses at the Cliffs. Taylor’s RFP was reviewed by town counsel, who approved of it. 

“The RFP process is a legal process that we as select board members assume, which has legal ramifications,” Murphy said, also saying they were unaware of the issues that were listed by Andrews-Maltais. 

Murphy concluded his comments by saying he needs to look at the needs of all Aquinnah residents, and that “obviously, there is a sentiment here that we shouldn’t follow the law, that we should do something we’re not supposed to do. There’s no reason not to defer this to another meeting.”

Aquinnah Wampanoag member Berta Welch talked about how the town had historically not always understood how to properly utilize the Cliff areas, such as when a building was given to the center without funding, leading to it being razed. She did commend Taylor for her bid. Aquinnah Wampanoag member Carol Vandal said the respect toward the tribe has weakened. 

“This should not be a question of whether or not the tribe should have the first bid on the Island,” Vandal said. “I feel that this Island doesn’t recognize us anymore. I’ve been out there in native country. I have been to reservations that are far worse than this. I have seen people struggling to survive. We’re surviving somehow.” 

Vandal continued that she also wants mutual discussions between the town and the tribe. However, the tribe’s history should not be forgotten. 

Taylor, who grew up in Aquinnah, close to some tribe members, said she was hoping to make an area where youth can bond. She said not having tribal representatives in the decisionmaking was a “misstep.” 

“Going back to the drawing board on this one, involving the tribal council, sounds like the way,” Taylor said.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Let us not forget to whom this island originally belonged. Yes, the Commonwealth has its laws, as does the Wampanoag has its laws and traditions. The past history of these entities has been plagued with incorrect assumptions, religious fervor, superior attitudes, lies and broken treaties, domination and bloodshed, mostly by the European invaders. Yet, both town and tribe now are the stewards of this beautiful island and have the responsibility of living and working together for the betterment of all. The road has often been bumpy; but now, more than ever as our world seem divided and fragmented, we need to accept our differences and appreciate our similarities.

    • Dinosaurs and cavemen (sorry cave people) originally inhabited this land. Should we give it all back to them? As terrible and tragic as it was, we are generations removed from those atrocities. It’s time to move forward. Can’t erase the past and quite frankly we can’t fix it. Can only move forward. That excuse is old.

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