Residents whose property abuts Pennywise Preserve asked the Edgartown selectmen this week to put up a new streetlight and close a dirt road they say is a safety hazard.

Richard DeTucci, who lives on 18th street, told the board at their meeting Monday that speeding vehicles and late night drug activity along Arbutus Way are an accident waiting to happen.

“Coming from 16th street to 18th street,” Mr. DeTucci said, “there’s more and more volume. The vehicles are larger, also. It’s not maintained, it’s gutted out. Folks come speeding down there, commercial, non-commercial, ATVs, dirt bikes.”

He proposed blocking Arbutus Way at both ends, to eliminate vehicle traffic.

The road is not a public way, according to police chief David Rossi and highway superintendent Stuart Fuller, who attended the meeting.

Selectmen agreed to draft a town meeting warrant article seeking funds to install a streetlight near the entrance to Pennywise Preserve, owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank.

But the board was reluctant to block the street, after Chief Rossi said fire trucks and ambulances might need to use it in the event of an emergency.

“I don’t see how you can block off a portion,” Chief Rossi said. “That’s just sending the problem somewhere else.”

Selectmen said they would consult town counsel to clarify legal issues surrounding ownership of the road.

“We can’t just block something off,” said chairman Margaret Serpa. “We don’t know who owns it.”

Also Monday, town manager Pam Dolby said she has asked all town departments to submit level-funded spending plans for next year’s budget.

“I sent a letter to all departments, nobody has come in screaming at me, Ms. Dolby said with a laugh. “The budget season has officially begun.”

She also told selectmen a review of the town’s salary classification plan is proceeding, and will be used to calculate costs for fiscal year 2018.