From: chappybikepath <chappybikepath@aol.com>
> Subject: Chappy Path Up-date

> Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 12:18 PM

> We write to tell  you about activities related to the bike path proposal and
> urge you support these efforts by attending upcoming
> meetings on Chappy and with the Edgartown Selectmen in  August.  
> Recent
> Selectmen’s Meeting 
> 
> At the August 3,
> Selectmen’s meeting the Chappy Bike Path Committee
> presented a proposal for a Committee made up of Chappy
> residents, town officials and path experts with the charter
> to develop an engineering plan for a shared use path (in
> full or in sections), and identify funding that would
> eventually be presented at the annual Town meeting in the
> spring for a vote by the Edgartown voters. 
> 
> We were pleased
> that the Selectmen paid attention to our proposal and
> clearly heard the importance of safety, which they
> recognized as the responsibility of the Town. They agreed to decide on the proposal
> at their next regular meeting, August
> 17th. 
> 
> After we presented
> our case, several Chappy residents who oppose the bike path
> spoke out against it and presented their own proposal in
> terms of working toward a “sharing” of the existing
> road. The Selectmen made it
> clear that they would like the proponents and opponents of a
> bike path to work out their differences and develop the best
> approach that meets the needs and interests of the
> majority 
> 
> Upcoming Meetings
> of Importance 
> 
> On August
> 10th, the Selectmen are having a open meeting
> with Edgartown (including Chappy) seasonal residents
> starting at 4:00 PM in the Selectmen’s meeting room. Seasonal residents will be bringing
> up a number of issues of concern to them including the Bike
> Path. 
> 
> On August
> 11th the opponents of the bike path are holding a
> “facilitated” meeting with the presumed goal of
> identifying approaches that might make a bike path less
> necessary. Members of our
> steering committee will be attending the meeting but all
> proponents for a path are encouraged to attend and make
> themselves heard. 
> 
> August
> 17th. The Selectmen
> will be considering our proposal for an ad hoc task force to
> develop a plan for a Chappy path to be presented at the
> Spring Town Meeting 
> 
> We encourage
> supporters of the bike path concept to attend these meetings
> – especially the Selectmen meetings – to neutralize the
> argument that the opposition is making that they represent
> the majority. If you can not
> attend these meetings you can register your support with the
> Selectmen by e-mailing them at Selectmen@edgartown-ma.us 
> 
> To continue to
> make progress we all will have to speak out for the path in
> whatever way we can in whatever venue is presented. We believe we have the high
> ground—safety, promoting healthy activity, enjoyment of
> Chappy, and the environment. We
> will try to make our arguments rationally, calmly and
> respectfully. We share with the
> opposition a love of Chappy and only differ in how this may
> be enhanced. 
> 
> Chappy Path
> Committee