Betsy Carnie-Connie Alexander-Bruce Campbell-Berni Cormie
Betsy Carnie for BOH (Board of Health) - who is Betsy?
Betsy is exactly like her signs which have been popping up all over Tisbury: community first, colorful, thoughtful and protective of our environment. (read below)
I would be honored to serve. I ask for your vote, and I ask for your ideas about how we shape the
community compact of local governance together.
My name is Betsy Carnie, and I am running for the Tisbury Board of Health.
I have worked in the Island food industry for over 30 years. My background is in nutrition and
education — I studied at Wellesley College and earned a master's from Columbia University in
curriculum design, with a focus on nutrition. For the last seven years I have been the Kitchen
Manager at the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School, where I have been able to put that
training into daily practice.
When I started at the Charter School in 2019, I set a goal to feed our students and staff healthy,
freshly prepared, locally grown food — and to do it at a lower cost. We committed to buying
only Island-raised meat. We built relationships with farms and local grocers so their excess food
could be upcycled into school lunch instead of going to waste. We learned how to work with
USDA, DESE, and local Board of Health regulations.
It took time, and it took convincing. But the results came quickly. Food costs went down. We
were able to add a kitchen position, which meant better food for our students. Today we offer
free breakfast, snack, and lunch to students and staff members every day — real food, much of it
grown or raised within a few miles of the school.
This work taught me something I think matters for the Board of Health. How we feed ourselves,
how we handle what we throw away, how we protect our water and soil — these are not separate
questions. They are the same question, asked in different rooms. On a small Island with finite
resources, every decision about public health is also a decision about the health of the
environment now and in the future.
That conviction is not new for me. I have volunteered for many years at the Dumptique in West
Tisbury and with Serving Hands, because I believe in giving back to the community I live in, and
because keeping things in use and feeding people who need feeding are, to me, the same kind of
work. Upcycling — whether it is clothing at the Dumptique, surplus food at the school, or ideas
we inherit from one generation to the next — is how a small community stretches what it has
into what it needs.
The Board of Health regulates food service, wastewater, solid waste, and public health
protection. These are exactly the areas where I have spent my working life, and where I believe
careful, community-minded decisions today will shape what Tisbury looks like a generation from
now. I want to bring that long view to the Board — a commitment to public health that includes
the health of the land, the water, and the natural systems we all depend on.
I would be honored to serve. I ask for your vote, and I ask for your ideas about how we shape the
community compact of local governance together.
Connie Alexander for Select Board
Experience You Can Count On
Tisbury is a special place—defined by its harbor, its neighborhoods, and the people who call it home year-round.
The decisions we make today about housing, infrastructure, and growth will shape our community for years to come. In a town our size, those decisions aren’t abstract—they affect daily life, from the cost of living to the character of our neighborhoods.
This election offers a clear choice about how we move forward.
Why Connie? Why Now?
In a town like ours, experience and preparation matter.
Connie Alexander brings the kind of steady, thoughtful leadership Tisbury needs at this moment:
- Deep experience in town governance
- The ability to step in and contribute immediately
- A conscientious, even-tempered approach to decision-making
She understands the issues, the process, and the importance of getting it right.
Thoughtful Leadership. Practical Solutions. A Stronger Tisbury.
Experience
Connie has built a record of hands-on leadership across the issues that matter most to Tisbury:
- Tisbury Sewer Advisory Board – 6 years
- Tisbury Planning Board – 5 years (Chair, 2024–2025)
- Tisbury Zoning Bylaw Review Committee – Chair
- Community Preservation Committee – 2 years
- Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP 2.0) Program – Tisbury Liaison
- Tisbury School Building Committee – during construction of the new school
- Tisbury Waterways, Inc. – supporting marine water quality initiatives
Bio
Connie’s commitment to Tisbury is rooted in decades of service to the community:
- Vineyard Haven resident for over 40 years
- Tisbury School Science Teacher – 22 years
- Dukes County Science Teacher of the Year
- Tisbury School Advisory Council – 18 years
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Advisory Board – Chair, 13 years
- Foster Parent
- Minnesingers Parent Group – Chair, 2 years
- Confirmation Teacher, Good Shepherd Parish – 4 years
- Good Shepherd Food Pantry (Food Baskets) – 5 years
A Vote for Tisbury’s Future
This election is about how we move forward—thoughtfully, responsibly, and with a clear understanding of what makes Tisbury special.
Local elections matter. In a town like ours, every vote truly counts.
Vote Connie Alexander for Tisbury Select Board.
Bruce J. Campbell - FINCOM 3-year write in candidate
Bruce J. Campbell for Tisbury Finance Committee (2-Year Term) and write-in
Bruce J. Campbell brings a lifetime of experience, steady leadership, and deep community roots to his candidacy for the Tisbury Finance Committee. A year-round resident of Martha’s Vineyard since 1967, Bruce has witnessed the Island’s growth and change firsthand—and remains committed to protecting Tisbury’s financial stability and long-term sustainability.
Bruce’s public service includes time on the Martha's Vineyard Commission and the Tisbury Finance Committee, where he developed a strong understanding of responsible budgeting, planning, and the careful stewardship of public resources. He is running to once again contribute that knowledge and experience to the town he calls home.
Beyond his public service, Bruce has built a career defined by responsibility and leadership. He was the last captain of the schooner Alice Wentworth schooner, served as captain of the Naushon ferry, and captained the party boat Ranger.
He also owned and operated Campbell Oil and developed the Deer Run community—demonstrating both entrepreneurial spirit and a long-term commitment to the Island’s future.
Bruce has also been a candidate for State Representative, further reflecting his dedication to public service and civic engagement.
At the heart of it all is family. Bruce is the longtime partner of Dolly Campbell, with whom he has shared 56 years of life on the Vineyard.
Bruce J. Campbell is committed to ensuring Tisbury remains financially strong, responsibly managed, and well-positioned for the future.
Bernadette Cormie - Planning Board - 5 year term
The VineyardTippingPoint.com
Bernadette Cormie for Tisbury Planning Board (5-Year Term)
Experience. Perspective. Planning for Tisbury’s Future.
Tisbury is at a critical moment. Decisions about zoning, housing, infrastructure, and long-term planning will shape whether our town remains a viable, year-round community on Martha’s Vineyard.
Bernadette Cormie brings the experience, financial background, and practical perspective needed to meet that moment.
Experience in Planning and Regional Leadership
Bernadette currently serves as the elected Tisbury representative to the Martha's Vineyard Commission (2025), where she contributes to regional planning and development decisions, including work with the PED Economic Development Committee.
Her local experience includes:
- Tisbury Planning Board – 1 year
- Tisbury Zoning Bylaw Review Committee – 1 year
Through this work, she has developed a clear understanding of how zoning, planning, and affordable housing are deeply interconnected—and why thoughtful, coordinated decision-making is essential.
Professional and Community Background
- Degree in Finance, Boston University
- Paralegal Certificate, Boston University
- Owner, Herring Run Kitchens and Provisions
- Vineyard Haven resident for over 30 years
- Raised two children on Martha’s Vineyard
Bernadette’s background in finance, combined with her experience as a local business owner, brings a grounded, real-world perspective to complex planning issues.
Focused on What Matters Most
Tisbury faces significant challenges—and opportunities:
- Major capital projects
- Infrastructure upgrades
- Housing availability and affordability
- Energy sustainability
Without careful planning and a clear focus on the future, the long-term viability of Tisbury as a year-round community is at risk.
Bernadette believes these priorities must be addressed together—not in isolation—with thoughtful planning and responsible decision-making.
A Clear Path Forward
Zoning, planning, and housing are not separate issues—they are interconnected and require leadership that understands how each decision impacts the next.
Bernadette Cormie is committed to helping guide Tisbury through this pivotal time with a focus on sustainability, financial awareness, and long-term community stability.
Tisbury is at a crossroads and faces enormous financial challenges and major infrastructure projects
Zoning, planning, affordable housing are all intertwined and in need of all of our attention. Without proper planning and focus on the future, the viability of Tisbury, will not survive as the only year round town on the island.
There are major capital projects, infrastructure upgrades, housing and energy sustainability that need to be prioritized.
more on the way
more coming...
General Information on elections
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
Big issues loom, but few seats are contested in town elections
by Eunki SeonwooApril 8, 2026 3:34 pmUpdated April 20, 2026 4:28 pm
excerpt below
Tisbury
Two candidates are vying for the select board seat that has been left vacant for months in Tisbury: Constance Alexander, a retired Tisbury School teacher and former planning board chair, and John Gregory Martino, who co-owns Cottage City Oysters and is a former town representative on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
The seat was held by former board chair Christina Colarusso, who resigned in January to focus on her health. She had missed numerous meetings since September prior to her resignation, and the board conducted business for months without her before she stepped down.
Meanwhile, Tisbury could have even more new select board members next year. A petition was filed with the town clerk by residents who want a bigger board. If approved by voters, the board would expand from three to five members, and the two newly created seats would appear on the 2027 ballot.
The select board isn’t the only contested race in Tisbury. Incumbent town clerk Hilary Conklin faces Joanna H. Jernegan, who has worked in the same department and was the administrative secretary in the clerk office. Meanwhile, Betsy Carnie and Emma Kaitlin Kristal are running for a seat on the health board. Bruce J. Campbell and Richard Wayne Homans Jr. are competing for a two-year term on the finance and advisory committee.
Among uncontested races, those who are not incumbents include Patrick B. Rolston for water commissioner and Thomas George Goulet for the finance and advisory committee. Candidates running to retain their seats uncontested include John F. Schilling for moderator, Kenneth A. Barwick for constable, James Bartholomew Norton for the board of assessors, Jennifer Marie Cutrer for the Tisbury School committee, David J. Schwab for water commissioner, Mary Bernadette Budinger-Cormie for the planning board, Ruth Davis Konigsberg and John Alexander Meleney for the finance and advisory committee, Nancy Lee Weaver as the town’s representative on the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission, and Robert Peyton Gilpin, Jean B. Lewellyn, and Norah Van Riper for library trustees.
Tisbury will hold its election on May 12 at the Tisbury Emergency Services Facility at 215 Spring St., from noon to 8 pm.
The VineyardTippingPoint
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
more to come
The VineyardTippingPoint
MV TIMES... Big issues loom
The VineyardTippingPoint
more to come
The VineyardTippingPoint
The VineyardTippingPoint.
The VineyardTippingPoint
more to come
The VineyardTippingPoint.
The VineyardTippingPoint.
The VineyardTippingPoint.
more to come
The VineyardTippingPoint
The VineyardTippingPoint.
The VineyardTippingPoint.
more to come