Dear Board of Selectmen,

I picked up the Gazette in Edgartown and saw the Planning Board "notice" for the bike path meeting on February 26.

It surprised me. Initially, I wondered why it did not have the two-week notice for an official meeting--if the meeting had had a two-week notice, I would have delayed my trip to the Vineyard so that I could attend. And if it was not an authorized meeting, the notice was misleading and that should be a very serious concern.

The bike path proponents have clearly skipped the initial step and made a procedural mistake. It has not been established that a majority of Chappy residents support a bike path. The issue now is not bike path design, etc., but whether a bike path on Chappy is needed. The services of the Northeastern students, who are making the presentation on Friday, were arranged by the path proponents, and they will not be presenting an independent, objective study.

I trust that the "so-called Planning board meeting" on February 26 does not constitute sufficient support at an official meeting for the Selectmen to take the issue to the Edgartown voters this spring. If I recall correctly, it was stated at the end of a Board meeting last August that the issue would not be on the agenda this spring.

Thank you,
Travis Beal Jacobs

My family and i have owner property on Chappaquiddick for over fifty-five years.