It is hard to specify exactly what factors define the Vineyard’s distinct community character – its “small c” culture – but several features are often mentioned as being important aspects of Vineyard lifestyles and our social interaction.
· The Vineyard is rural, small-town America, with the strong community connections usually associated with such communities, high “social capital”, to use the jargon. People take care of each other.
· There is a sense of attachment to the Island. People have to make a conscious decision to reside here despite the various challenges of living on Martha’s Vineyard. The presence of six towns provides an even more local sense of community and opportunity for civic engagement focusing on local issues.
· There is a high level of community and public involvement, with a rich tapestry of community organizations, volunteer boards, committees, and non-profits. There is a sense of empowerment; that we are an island unto ourselves, freer to approach community problems differently or more innovatively.
· There is a strong attachment to the land and sea, to our farming, fishing and hunting heritage, and to contact with our natural environment.
· The community is defined by the seasonal variation in population, and the relation between year-round and seasonal residents, who tend to have different socio-economic characteristics. The philanthropy of the seasonal residents provides important support to town services and community organizations.
· Some see the Vineyard as a safe harbor, a refuge from the mainland’s commercialism, crime, and values. It is felt to be a place with a slower, gentler pace where one can get-away-from-it-all, even during the summer peak.
· Behind the rural, small-town façade is a community of great sophistication. Many highly educated year-round residents choose to live here despite limited professional opportunities; “washashore” retirees bring considerable expertise, experience and contacts; and the seasonal population links the Vineyard to cosmopolitan centers around the world.
Nevertheless, the Vineyard community faces particular challenges, mostly related to the fact that it is a small, rural island, or to the high cost of housing and living here.
· The most commonly raised concern is the perceived increased polarization by income and threatened loss of the Island’s middle class. There is fear that Martha's Vineyard will become like some resort communities that have wealthy seasonal visitors served by a largely commuting underclass.
· A related concern is the decrease in the number of families with children. How many people are now moving here to raise families?
· The influx of new residents is often seen as changing the traditional character of the Vineyard. It has been suggested that some people move here saying they love it just as it is, and then try to re-create a homestead and lifestyle that mimics their off-Island primary or former home, with McMansions, five-car garages, heated pools, and suburban, manicured lawns.
· There are somewhat strained relations, misconceptions and even discrimination between ethnic groups.
Objective S1: Maintain the Vineyard’s strong sense of community and inclusiveness, preserve the economic continuum, and increase understanding among groups (year-round/seasonal, income, age, ethnicity, color).
· Strategy S1-1: Improve coordination among institutions and town boards to deal with social environment issues: Though there are some mechanisms to foster Island-wide collaboration within specific fields – such as the Health Council and meetings of all town health agents or police chiefs – we need greater coordination of efforts across disciplines. We need to define a mechanism to promote Island-wide cross-discipline collaboration to deal with all aspects of the social environment. At a basic level, the Martha's Vineyard Commission, Superintendent of Public Schools, Community Services, towns, and other entities should coordinate their efforts in gathering population and economic data to monitor trends and make more informed projections about the community’s future.
· Strategy S1-2: Reach out to the immigrant community: As first-generation immigrants with a different native tongue, the large Brazilian community (at one time “guesstimated” at perhaps 20% of the Island’s year-round population) is less assimilated into mainstream Vineyard society and less inclined to participate in community/public service. Apparently, this includes a considerable number of undocumented residents in the U.S., meaning they may be more susceptible to exploitation while also less inclined to seek medical or legal help.
· Strategy S1-3: Provide information to new residents and visitors about Vineyard services and practices: Prepare a welcome guide for new residents and visitors about various services and aspects of Island living, including information about the Vineyard environment, way of life, and culture and ways they can help retain the special qualities of our community. It could be distributed through real estate agents, towns, the Chamber of Commerce or the Steamship Authority. Another approach would be for towns to hold annual reception for new residents/landowners. This gives newcomers an opportunity to meet town officials and heads of community organizations. Each household could receive a package of reference information from the town, organizations and businesses.
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