Martha's Vineyard Airport, situated at the geographical center of the Island, was originally constructed by the Navy as a training field for pilots during World War II. The airport was transferred to Dukes County for the purpose of operating a civilian airport in 1959. Today it is one of the 10 busiest airports in New England. It welcomes more than 300,000 passengers a year at its modern terminal.
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The Airport Commission is responsible for the care and management of the one square mile of land upon which the airport is located. The main responsibilities include updating airport facilities & equipment to assure that the airport continues to provide a safe, reliable and efficient travel option to the public. The one-mile-square airport also embraces a business park that is home to more than 75 companies.
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You can find more information at the Airport's website. Â
You can contact the Martha's Vineyard Airport Commission via email: mvac@mvyairport.com
The Beach Management Department oversees the management & maintenance of three public beaches:
The County Manager is County government's Chief Executive Officer. He/She is appointed by the County Commission, manages the County's daily operations, and works with the Commission on initiatives with regional impact.
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Martina Thornton was sworn in as the county manager for the County of Dukes County on August 8, 2012.
Dukes County Emergency Management provides coordination between the towns and other partners during emergencies like Hurricanes and Winter storms.
The Dukes County Emergency Management Agency strives to save lives and minimizes property damage at the times of disasters. The agency focuses on education, planning, and implementation of disaster plans as appropriate for Dukes County Employees and Dukes County Property.
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The Dukes County Emergency Management Department is headed by the Dukes County Manager.
Five-year roadmap sets course for coordinated, island-wide emergency preparedness and resilience through 2031
June 4, 2026Â |Â Dukes County, Massachusetts
Dukes County is pleased to announce the completion and formal presentation of the Martha’s Vineyard Island-Wide Emergency Management and Response Coordination Strategic Integration and Implementation Plan — a comprehensive, five-year framework designed to strengthen emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and long-term resilience across all Martha’s Vineyard communities.
The Strategic Plan, developed for the 2027–2031 planning cycle, was prepared by the Olson Group and presented to the Dukes County Commissioners, Emergency Managers, Island leaders, and key community partners and stakeholders.
Martha’s Vineyard presents a unique set of emergency management challenges: a geographically isolated island community reliant on shared infrastructure, ferry and airport transportation, seasonal population surges, and a distributed network of six towns and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The Strategic Plan directly addresses these realities.
The plan establishes seven strategic goals to be implemented in phases over five years:
It is recommended that the Dukes County Emergency Management Association (DCEMA) serve as the governing and oversight body for the island-wide program, providing policy guidance, strategic coordination, and oversight of the Multi-Agency Coordination System. A critical recommendation of the plan is the creation of a full-time Martha’s Vineyard Emergency Management Coordinator — a position that will oversee implementation, grant coordination, training, exercise management, and stakeholder engagement.
Importantly, the plan preserves the authority and operational independence of each participating jurisdiction, while creating a shared coordination architecture capable of managing complex, multi-jurisdictional, or sustained emergencies.
With the Strategic Plan now complete, Dukes County and Island partners will move into the implementation phase. Key near-term priorities include:
Dukes County extends its deep appreciation to all who contributed to the development of this plan. The County Commissioners are thanked for their leadership in authorizing and funding this important initiative. Special recognition goes to Kyle Olson and Andrew Forcucci of the Olson Group, whose expertise and dedication brought this project through to completion.
The County also thanks the Emergency Managers, Island leaders, and the many community partners and stakeholders who participated in workshops, provided critical input, and shared their expertise throughout this process. This plan is a product of the entire Martha’s Vineyard community.
For more information, contact the Dukes County Manager’s Office or visit the Dukes County website. The Strategic Plan Executive Summary is available on the county website, and the full Strategic Plan is available upon request.
The Dukes County Health & Human Services Dept. assists residents to access and obtain affordable, high-quality health-related services and support, particularly lower-income Dukes County residents, with the goal of assisting them to achieve and maintain financial stability and social well-being.
What We Do
Dukes County Health Care Access helps people to get health insurance and coverage for health care through government programs including;
Medicare
MassHealth (Medicaid)
Connector Care
Qualified Health Plans
By providing:
Information
Application & enrollment assistance
Advocacy
Troubleshooting
Referrals
Provided in a confidential setting by experienced, knowledgeable, caring professionals at no charge as a community service of Dukes County and the towns of Martha’s Vineyard for island residents of all ages.
You can pay parking tickets issued by the six Island towns and the County on-line, mailed it in or you can drop payment into the drop box outside of the Dukes County Administration Building, 9 Airport Road, Edgartown, where the Office of the Martha's Vineyard Parking Clerk is located. We accept MC or VISA only, No AMEX or Discover.
State Beach information:Â All 4 tires must be on the pavement otherwise a ticket will be issued.
We do not handle any citations of any kind there is a phone number and an online address to pay those.
Please note: If you are unable to pay your ticket on-line it is most likely because it has not been entered into the on-line system yet. Give it at least couple of days from the day you received the ticket.
Reminder, if you have paid your ticket online please leave us a message with the plate and or ticket number so we can clear it at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Otherwise, you will not be able to renew your license or registration.Â
For other questions see additional links on this page.
Dukes County's Public Benefits Access Department provides access to economic and social development programs that support and empower lower-income residents of the County to to achieve and maintain financial stability and well-being,
The Public Benefits Access caseworker assists Islanders applying for public benefits from:
Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) - for wage earners, self-employed and "gig" economy workers (caterers, entertainers, etc.)
Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) applications for
Cash Assistance
EAEDC - Emergency Aid to Elderly, Disabled, and Children
TAFDC - Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children
Food Assistance
WIC- can be applied through health imperativesÂ
Fuel Assistance (winter heating help is available through the Southshore Community Action Council, Inc.)
Housing Assistance
 Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) Intake Forms for:
RAFT - Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
ERMA - Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance
Private Homeless Prevention Programs and Funding
Workforce Housing Release Fund
Island Elderly Housing (IEH) Applications
Morgan Woods Affordable Housing Units Applications
Social Security Disability Applications and Social Security Retirement Applications
The Caseworker helps residents compete applications and get and maintain access to benefits by following-up with people who qualify to support benefit renewal. . The Caseworker will also help with related programs such as discounts for electric bills, cell phones, and other food and nutrition support.Â
You can also receive more information regarding the following services and programs:
      • Affordable childcare
      • General Resources
These services are provided in partnership with the Community Action Committee of Cape Cod, the Islands, and the South Shore Community Action Council.
The Dukes County Veteran's Service Department serves the veterans of all seven towns within Dukes County. The Veteran's Service Officer helps veterans obtain all the benefits to which they are entitled, keeps records of living and deceased veterans, and conceives programs to honor vets and promote patriotism.
Veterans Services provides for the provision of Federal Veterans Administration and general laws governing the financial support of local veterans, including the determination of eligibility, the disbursement of veterans benefits and assisting local veterans and their families in obtaining financial & other counseling, advice and assistance.
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We are pleased to share new guidance from the Veteran’s Service Officer on the following topics: