Chilmark selectmen voted Tuesday to significantly change the job description and salary of the town’s fire chief.

The board agreed to pay chief David Norton a salary of $65,000, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018. Previously, the fire chief was paid an annual stipend of $37,370 as head of the fire department.

Selectman Jim Malkin helped negotiate the agreement with the town’s personnel board and Mr. Norton. He could not attend Tuesday’s meeting, but sent a letter which was read by chairman Bill Rossi.

“I believe we should make David Norton a salaried, rather than stipend employee,” Mr. Malkin wrote in his letter. “Further, to provide communication and coordination between the board of selectmen and the fire chief I believe we should establish a selectmen’s liaison for the fire department.”

Selectmen appointed Don Leopold, a member of the human resources board, as the new liaison to the fire department.

Also Tuesday, selectmen dealt with two issues regarding the town project to remove a stone revetment and build new parking spaces at Squibnocket Beach. A privately funded project to build a new causeway to Squibnocket Farm homes is nearly complete.

In order to connect power to the Squibnocket Farm homes, Eversource has proposed moving an existing utility pole near the entrance to the causeway, which would require wires to be strung overhead across the road.

During a public hearing on the plan to move the pole, a group of homeowners proposed a different solution, which would eliminate the overhead wires across the road, but there were questions about whether the alternative plan could clear regulatory hurdles before the March 5 deadline to begin the town project. The town cannot begin its restoration of Squibnocket Beach until power is extended to Squibnocket Farm, according to its agreement with the homeowners.

“The town’s overriding concern right now is that we not delay the project,” said Mr. Rossi. “We have grant money at stake that the project get done in a timely fashion.”

Selectmen took no action, but agreed to keep the public hearing open, and reconvene on Friday morning at 9 a.m., giving homeowners time to work out issues with the alternative plan.

In other action, selectmen approved slight modifications in construction plans for the new Squibnocket parking lot. The changes are to satisfy state, federal, and tribal regulations concerning Native American artifacts found at the site during a required survey.

Also Tuesday, selectmen signed an agreement with the Meeting House Road road association to pay $11,000 in back dues. The agreement clears the way for the town to take a four acre lot on Meeting House Road for non-payment of taxes.

Finally, Wendy Weldon presented selectmen with a citizen’s petition for a town meeting warrant article that would raise the restriction on guest houses from the current limit of 800 square feet to 1,200 square feet.