L E T T E R S

OUTSTANDING TEACHER

The following letter was originally sent to Miss Patricia Haley and is reprinted here at the author's request.

Dear Miss Haley:

Congratulations! The trustees of the Coffin School have selected you to receive Helene Gilbody Blair Excellence in Teaching Award for 2006. The award is in the amount of $500.00.

The Helene Gilbody Blair Award was established by a former Nantucket High School student to honor Mrs. Blair and her dedication to the teaching of Nantucket High School students. For 30 years, Mrs. Blair provided her students with a sound, a rigorous, and an extensive study of high school English. Hundreds of her former students have benefited greatly from all that she has taught us.

After informal surveys of high school students, current and retired faculty members, and Nantucket High School alumnae, the Trustees confirmed that you possess the dedication, talent, skill, and passion for teaching required of today's educators. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Coffin School are honored to recognize you as an outstanding teacher on Nantucket. We thank you deeply for your excellence.

Most sincerely,

- Joanne Skokan CONCERNED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPACT

The following letter was originally sent to Miss Patricia Haley and is reprinted here at the author's request.

Dear Commissioners:

At the May meeting of NAREB, we voted to support a request by the Nantucket Housing Office to support Senate Bill #2230, the Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Housing Banks. We have sent Senator O'Leary a letter in support of that bill. NAREB is acutely aware of the continued struggle of year round working people to purchase a home.

As you maybe aware, this bill, if successful, will impose a 1 percent transfer fee on a Seller of a property, on any proceeds in excess of $2,000,000. Those proceeds will then be used to assist year round Nantucketers who can no longer afford to purchase housing on the open market.

At the same meeting NAREB also recognized the impact that the Land Bank is having on the available supply of land that potentially could be used for affordable housing initiatives for year round working families. Specific reference was made about the purchase of a portion of the Holdgate property on Old South Road, This property has:

1. Town water and sewer

2. The appropriately zoned density necessary to support a large number of year round homes.

3. A marginal recreational use.

NAREB's concern is that the Land Bank, with such purchases, is creating a huge negative impact on the affordable housing market by removing forever such locations that would be well suited for affordable housing. As a result prices for the remaining land on the free market will continue its inexorable climb and the next generation of year round families will have no choice but to leave the island.

Therefore NAREB has voted to send this letter to you expressing our concern about the negative impact on the affordable housing market of this particular Land Bank purchase of the Holdgate property as well as similar purchases in the future. Sincerely,

- Edward Sanford

President Nantucket Association of Real Estate Brokers