Edgartown selectmen issued a stern warning to the owners of Sophia’s Market this week after the convenience store was caught selling alcohol to minors twice in one month over the summer

At a public hearing at their weekly meeting Monday, selectmen said the owners of the market at the Mobil Station on Upper Main street could keep their license as long as they work with the police to avoid future situations.

“We could if we so deemed suspend the license . . . but I think that I’m more inclined to ask for your cooperation with the understanding that sales to minors will require us going forward to suspend the license,” selectman and board chairman Arthur Smadbeck said. “I really much prefer that everybody works together, works hard at it and don’t have to go down that route.”

An underage alcohol sweep by the town police in July resulted in a warning to the store and five other liquor stores or serving establishments. Al’s Package Store, the Wharf Pub, Sharky’s, Henry’s bar at the Harbor View Hotel and the Newes from America all failed compliance checks.

At the time of the first violation Det. Sgt. Chris Dolby told the selectmen he spoke with the clerk on duty and the manager about training employees for checking false IDs and suggested purchasing a scanner that other Edgartown establishments had found successful.

The second offense came in mid-August. Mr. Dolby said he made a point to stop and watch Sophia’s and watched a group of young adults pull up in a vehicle and send one person in. It was a typical underage situation, he said, and a few minutes later a young person came out with beer. Mr. Dolby said identification revealed he was 18.

Mr. Dolby said he informed the clerks of what had happened.

“The response I got was they weren’t taking it seriously enough, from my opinion,” he said.

Attorney Marilyn Vukota, who represented store manager Paulo Rodrigues at the meeting Monday, said the owners are willing to work with police and that a new scanner is due to arrive this week.

“This is a serious event and they take it very seriously,” Ms. Vukota said. “They’re taking necessary steps and are deeply apologetic. They are retraining their employees and doing everything they can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

The selectmen said they recognized the improvements and were willing to give another chance.

In other business library building design committee member Carl Watt told the selectmen that at a recent meeting the state board of library commissioners gave an “extremely complimentary” report of the town’s designs for a new library.

“It was an exceptionally productive and friendly meeting,” Mr. Watt said. “One of the first things we asked them was do we have a grant and they said, of course you have a grant, you have a high finish, you’re fourth on the waiting list.”

The town applied for a $5 million state matching grant but failed to make the cut in the first round. Mr. Watt said he expects the town to receive money in the next fiscal year.