The new Tisbury fire station, also known as the emergency services facility (ESF), will open in July according to building committee chairman Joe Tierney. The building was originally slated to open last July, and its opening date has been pushed back a number of times due to construction flaws and ongoing negotiations with the project’s architect and its contractors about payment. In February Mr. Tierney announced that the building would open April 1.

On Thursday Tisbury town accountant Suzanne Kennedy said she was “absolutely certain” the $7.38 million project would be completed on or under budget. She said that, as of February, the town had just under $100,000 in reserve for the project and that she hadn’t seen any bills in the past few months that would come close to that amount.

At Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting Mr. Tierney asked the selectmen to approve $4,200 to retest the pavement at the site after the town’s testing methods, which revealed flaws in the pavement, were disputed by contractor White Brothers-Lynch Corp.. Mr. Tierney said if the tests come back negative the contractor could be charged the cost of the new round of testing. Selectmen also awarded a contract of $13,600 to MV Electricians to install nine air filtration units.

The project was expected to be completed July 2011 before a consultant’s report prepared last spring identified numerous structural problems, including a misaligned foundation, buckled steel supports and drainage issues. In October, selectmen voted to assess general contractor Seaver Construction of Woburn $18,162.50 for damages and delays in the project. Seaver’s final bill for those damages and delays is one of the issues currently being negotiated by the town.

The town plans to demolish the old fire station in July using funds allocated at the annual town meeting in April. The site will at least temporarily become a parking lot, and selectmen will hold a public hearing at their next scheduled meeting on June 12 to discuss the use of the lot.

Also on Tuesday selectmen approved the relocation of the Bunch of Grapes clock tower across the street to the bookstore’s new location at the site of the former Bowl and Board. Selectmen also approved, with a round of applause and handshakes, the appointment of two new police officers Jeremie Rogers and Ryan Natichione. Both of the men, it was noted, were proud alumni of the Tisbury School.