Ending weeks of back-and-forth discussion over who will serve as the town appointed member to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, the Oak Bluffs selectmen voted Tuesday to appoint Gail Barmakian to the post.

Ms. Barmakian, who is chairman of the selectmen, volunteered for the appointment after the board was unable to settle on a choice.

Nine commissioners were elected in November and will take office in January. Every Island town also appoints a member to the regional planning agency.

In Oak Bluffs, three people had expressed interest: Susan Desmarais, John Breckenridge and Abe Seiman. For different reasons, all have now dropped out. Mr. Breckenridge, who is currently serving as the town appointed member, withdrew his name from consideration for medical reasons. Mr. Seiman never appeared in person before the board. And Ms. Desmarais, who expressed a keen desire for the appointment, dropped out in frustration after selectmen indicated two weeks ago that they might pass her over, voting instead to advertise for new candidates.

This week the issue took another turn when Ms. Barmakian threw her hat in the ring.

In an email sent to town administrator Bob Whritenour and the other selectmen on Dec. 14, Ms. Barmakian noted that she is well versed in environmental issues, has served on several boards, and is knowledgeable about the commission.

“I will hope that John Breckenridge, who has faithfully and thoughtfully served our town these past 14 years, will be confident that his position is left in good hands,” she said in the email, which she read aloud Tuesday.

Mr. Santoro questioned why the position hadn’t been advertised. “It was quite clear at the last meeting that we would post it and have interviews,” he said.

Ms. Barmakian said she thought the position would only be advertised if none of the selectmen wanted to volunteer. “I’m volunteering as a selectmen so why would we advertise,” she said.

Mr. Coogan said he and selectman Kathy Burton, who was unable to attend the meeting, had concerns that Ms. Barmakian already wore too many hats in town, and whether she would represent the board’s opinion.

“You have to represent the majority of the board,” he said. “You’re our member. That puts you in a ticklish position if the board feels one way and you feel another way.”

Ms. Barmakian said she didn’t recall past appointees coming to the selectmen to get their opinion. She wouldn’t be a pawn, she said, but she would represent the board’s feeling on issues facing Oak Bluffs.

“I hope you would understand the more delicate issues that might want to be discussed by this board and be our representative in the proper fashion,” selectman Walter Vail said.

In the end selectmen voted 4-0 to appoint her to the commission.

In other business, the board voted to join the Community Compact Cabinet, an initiative created last year by Gov. Charlie Baker. The program aims to help towns achieve best practices in various areas, and funding is available to help meet goals. About three-quarters of towns in the commonwealth joined the compact for the first year; none of the Vineyard towns were included in the first round.

Martha’s Vineyard Commission executive director Adam Turner told selectmen that he is approaching several Island towns to discuss joining the compact. He said funding can also be used for regional projects, and could be used on the Vineyard for a pilot project to have an Island engineer help work on Island transportation projects.

“The joint transportation committee has been frustrated for the last year,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of engineering capacity on the Island. We simply have to wait then for the state to offer us engineering services.”

Mr. Vail also provided a brief update about the town hall building committee, which he said met four times in December and is working with architects to bring a proposed project before the annual town meeting. The next meeting will take place Jan. 4 at 3:30 p.m.; the public is invited to attend.

Mr. Vail also gave an update on the work of an informal taxi committee working on Islandwide taxi regulations. The committee has streamlined regulations, Mr. Vail said, and is also looking at how fares should be displayed in cabs, among other things.

He said the next step would be to hold a public hearing for residents and taxi company owners to discuss regulations before proposed changes are brought to town meeting. Selectmen agreed to put the item on the agenda for the Jan. 10 meeting.

They also granted an extension to Dolores Borza for payment of a bus fee, declared a 1994 GMC highway department dump truck as surplus, and agreed to ask Melanie Bilodeau to come in to meet with them before they approve her appointment to the land bank advisory committee.

“I want to wish our board and residents of the town of Oak Bluffs much health, prosperity, and happiness in 2017,” Mr. Santoro said at the end of the meeting. “2016 was a busy year for everyone and who knows what’s coming down the road for us. And go Pats.”