After seven months on the job, Tri-Town Ambulance chief Robert Bellinger is stepping down. Chilmark police chief Brian Cioffi told the selectmen at their meeting on Tuesday night that Mr. Bellinger will become assistant chief of the up-Island ambulance service and will assist in the search for someone to fill the position.

“It was a mutually agreed-upon thing, and it’s the best benefit for Tri-Town at this time,” Mr. Cioffi said of the ambulance service that serves Chilmark, West Tisbury and Aquinnah. “It should speed the hiring process along because we’ve done it fairly recently.”

Mr. Bellinger was hired in 2008 as the advanced life support coordinator for Tri-Town Ambulance, and with 25 years of experience under his belt, was promoted to chief two years later.

The ambulance service was criticized this year for running more than $9,000 over budget, forcing the three towns to return to voters for additional funds. The cost overrun was due to the need to contract with Oak Bluffs for licensed paramedic service.

In other business Tuesday, father and son team Stephen and Tim Broderick received a bottom grant to begin growing oysters in Menemsha Pond.

“I’m very enthusiastic about it, I think it’s going to be a part of my future,” Tim Broderick said. “I think it’s another way for me to make it more of a year-round living, and the opportunity to work next door to my father on the site will be pretty positive.”

Selectman Warren Doty suggested if there are more grants for oyster farming in Menemsha Pond, the shellfishermen might consider marketing the oysters under one name.

Selectman Frank Fenner reported that the Tea Lane farmhouse design committee has begun to draw plans for renovating the historic house. Draftsman Elise Elliston produced drawings of the current structure, and from there will work with the committee for future plans.

“We’re going to use the existing structure,” Mr. Fenner said. “There are four different floor plans in all. We worked through the pros and cons of each one and came up with what we’d like to see.” The committee will present a final plan at the annual town meeting in April. Meanwhile, the house has been winterized and the grounds cleaned up

Finally, Chilmark school committee member Perry Ambulos told the selectmen with next year’s budget set to be certified at the Up-Island Regional School District committee meeting on Monday, Chilmark may need to consider adding an additional kindergarten class.

“Due to the fact that the preschool has blossomed and become an incubator for kindergarten, there is a strong likelihood of having to have a second kindergarten class which will require an additional teacher and assistant,” Mr. Ambulos said. “There’s plenty of space but there’s additional costs of a teacher, assistant and $10,000 for equipment. We’ve allotted [a total of] $150,000 for that.”

The town will not know the school’s needs for next year until the spring. Selectmen decided to budget the funds needed for a second class; if one is not needed, the money will go into the school’s excess and deficiency funds.