The Oak Bluffs selectmen intend to appoint a building committee to oversee a project to build a new town hall, following a turbulent year working with the town planning board.

The $6.8 million project was approved by town meeting voters in 2014. Two days later, voters rejected a ballot initiative to exempt the cost of construction from Proposition 2 1/2. The project has been in limbo ever since.

At an Oct. 27 joint meeting, selectmen and planning board members reached consensus that a new town hall should be the town’s top capital project priority and that it should be located at the site of the current town hall. They also agreed to appoint a building committee, town manager Robert Whritenour said.

The committee will evaluate existing architectural plans and draft an article for the 2017 town meeting.

Built in 1965 as a school, the town hall is in poor repair and not ADA compliant. — Mark Lovewell

In a written evaluation, building inspector Mark Barbadoro said current town hall is in a state of disrepair with rotting window casings, failing heating and air conditioning systems, asbestos building materials, and dangerous exposed wiring.

“The town hall continues to have ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) complaints filed against it and has been modified through the years in a haphazard manner,” Mr. Barbadoro wrote. “Either the town should hire a design professional to address the deficiencies and create a plan to completely renovate the building or a new building should be built.”

The structure was built in 1965 as an elementary school.

The project has been fraught with internal town tussles. In December 2015, selectmen ceded control of the project to the planning board. The board conducted a public survey, and the building inspector completed an evaluation of all town buildings.

“This has not been an easy process,” said selectman Walter Vail. “We like to be as inclusive as we can, but there’s a point where we have to move on. We’re trying very hard to keep peace in the family and that’s not always easy to do.”

Now the selectmen will effectively take back control of the project by appointing the building committee. Mr. Vail said he hopes a member of the planning board will agree to join the committee.

Planning board chairman Brian Packish has been critical at public meetings of the selectmen’s handling of the project. He declined comment on the pending appointment of a building committee.

“That’s being discussed at the next planning board meeting, and that’s really the only comment I have,” Mr. Packish said.

Any new plan would come before the planning board for a site review.

“That’s their job,” Mr. Vail said. “I would hope there would be no politics involved in that.”