West Tisbury town officials have mostly agreed that the rocks will have to go.

Members of the town historic district commission appeared before selectmen on Wednesday to denounce the large boulders in front of the recently renovated town hall which they feel are not in keeping with the town historic district.

“The rocks were an easy temporary thing, they weren’t on any official plans,” said historic district commission chairman Sean Conley. “It’s like making a cake and then putting ugly frosting on it.”

The historic district commission has recommended granite posts linked by chains or a picket fence, but selectman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter expressed his preference for a split rail fence due to costs.

It is unclear where the money will come from to address the problem, town construction funds or through a town meeting warrant article.

Selectman Richard Knabel reminded the historic district commission of the prehistoric bona fides of the town boulders.

“They were here long before anybody else,” he said. “From a geological point of view they point out the history of the Island very nicely.”

Mr. Manter disagreed. “They look horrible,” he said.

Since the town building committee no longer exists, the selectmen agreed to collaborate with the historic commission on the new design and will meet again with the commission next Wednesday.

In other business Wednesday, the selectmen voted to put an article on the annual town meeting warrant to pay for paving a 114-foot stretch of sidewalk from the First Congregational Church to Alley’s General Store. The town has previously looked into adding a sidewalk to the area; Mr. Knabel said the cost is estimated at between $10,000 and $20,000.

The ever-cost-conscious Mr. Manter balked at the price tag. “I was in favor of it originally until I heard the price,” he said. “I think that’s just too much money for a short piece of sidewalk,”

Mr. Manter voted against putting the article on the warrant, but was outvoted by Mr. Knabel and selectman Cynthia Mitchell.

The selectmen and the parks and recreation committee also jointly appointed Lisa Amols to the committee. Selectmen also appointed Whit Griswold to the conservation commission.

Selectmen also reviewed a summary of the cumulative tax levy changes for all six Island towns since fiscal year 2006 compiled by town accountant Bruce Stone. While the Island towns have averaged a 24 per cent increase, with Tisbury leading the way at 36 per cent, West Tisbury has only registered a tax levy increase of eight per cent during the same period.

“We obviously have been doing a reasonable job, without blowing our horn too loudly, of trying to control our costs,” said Mr. Knabel.

Finally Mr. Knabel said that the reflective poles known as delineators installed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation at the hazardous intersection of State and Old County Roads are mostly gone due to the work of snowplows this winter. One lone delineator remains at the intersection.