West Tisbury selectmen rejected a settlement agreement this week and called for a Feb. 1 public hearing for two dogs, who on several occasions got loose and killed chickens and geese.

On three separate occasions the dogs, both Akitas who belong to Anna Bolotovsky and Taggart Young, got loose and killed chickens and geese belonging to Richard Andre. At a hearing after the first incident in December, Ms. Bolotovsky and Mr. Young were ordered by the selectmen and animal control officer Joan Jenkinson to construct a pen for the dogs at their home in West Tisbury. The dogs were also never to be allowed off leash again.

Within two weeks of that order, the dogs got loose again. When it happened a third time, Mrs. Jenkinson took one of the dogs into the town’s custody and it is currently being held at the pound until a February hearing. The other dog is currently living in Newton, where its owners reside.

In the settlement agreement, Ms. Bolotovsky and Mr. Young requested the one dog in custody be released back into the their care in Newton and not return to the Vineyard for a year. They also proposed to pay a $200 bond and all costs associated with boarding the dog in exchange for no public hearing.

Selectman and chairman of the board Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd said the hearing should continue as planned. At the first hearing Mr. Manter voted against the construction of the pen and leash ruling, and advocated for euthanizing the dogs.

“Joanie [Jenkinson] was up all night looking for these dogs,” he said. “I think we should continue the hearing and justice should be done, I will not vote for this...you know how I feel about this.”

Selectman Richard Knabel agreed.

“I think we should have the hearing; there a number of problems with this,” he said, adding if the board was to consider a settlement, the dogs would not be able to “come back, period, even after a year.”

West Tisbury town administrator Jennifer Rand said at the selectmen’s weekly meeting on Wednesday the Newton animal control officer had been contacted and said killing of livestock was not an issue there.

In other business, the selectmen signed the design contract for the new police station with Kennan and Kenny Architects based in Falmouth. The contract payments are phased, but in total $182,000 will be paid. The new building will be in North Tisbury where the town public safety building is located.

The selectmen also voted to place an article on the annual town meeting warrant in April to name the Field Gallery recently purchased by the town the Maley Field Gallery.

Mr. Manter, who made the motion, said the town should honor the gallery’s founder, Tom Maley. The town completed the purchase of the gallery from the Maley family in December.

“It has Tom’s history to it,” Mr. Manter said.