Seeing a recent federal court ruling as an opening, Aquinnah Selectmen want to reopen dialogue with the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) over their bingo casino on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
The town leaders want to restart discussions with the tribe, which recently lost its lawsuit when it tried to exercise its sovereign right to build a Class II casino without submitting to the town’s zoning laws. Previous rulings had enshrined its right to build a casino, but the tribe wanted to go a step further and free itself of having to seek building permits. This the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals would not do. It held for the town and Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s right to review the project before granting permits.
The board sent a letter to the tribe after the ruling seeking to open a dialogue. It reiterated the board’s position that it doesn’t oppose the casino but wants more information on some aspects of the project.
Selectman Jim Newman told fellow board members, “I think it’s necessary we reach out to the tribe and invite them back to the table so we can talk, and make it clear that this board of selectmen was never against the casino,” adding “We were just trying to work with them so we could cooperate with whatever was going on,” he added “Because whatever they have there is certainly going to impact the town in one way or another and we need to work together.”
Selectman Gary Haley concurred: “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t try to get some communication going between the tribe and the town again.”
Before the lawsuit the town and tribe had exchanged generally hostile communications. But not since then. This is the first olive branch from either party.
