A dispute over use and control of the Menemsha fuel dock following a series of incidents with boaters needing water this summer was resolved amid testy exchanges at the Chilmark selectmen’s meeting Tuesday.

Selectman and board chairman Jim Malkin began discussion by describing four separate incidents that took place over the summer where boaters wanting only water, not fuel, were turned away from the fuel dock by the owners of Menemsha Texaco. According to the incident reports, the boaters were directed to the fuel dock for their water needs by the harbor master.

Menemsha Texaco is owned by Marshall and Katie Carroll but the fuel dock is owned by the town and leased to the Carrolls.

“We have a small harbor. I frankly don’t believe we should have dock attendants counteracting what the harbor master tells boats to do,” Mr. Malkin said. “I think it’s important that Menemsha doesn’t have a reputation that you can’t have water unless you buy fuel.”

Mr. Carroll countered that his dock workers were only following state fire marshal regulations that say boats cannot berth at fuel docks unless to refuel.

“The code is strict,” Mr. Carroll said, noting that the fuel dock is not the only place in the harbor where water is available for boaters. “There are plenty of places to get water. It just doesn’t belong at the fuel dock,” he said.

The discussion led to some sharp exchanges.

“It’s the opinion of the harbor advisory committee that no vehicle should ever leave Menemsha needing water,” said Everett Poole, who is chairman of the committee.

“That sounds like extortion that if you want to take on water, you have to take fuel,” added harbor master Dennis Jason.

“There’s no extortion, Marshall is trying to run a business,” responded selectman Warren Doty. “The loaded language is worrisome to me.”

Mr. Carroll argued that he was not forcing boats to go out to sea without water, but simply sending them elsewhere in the harbor. He also said the incidents could have been resolved with better communication between his dock attendants and the harbor master.

“Those four incidents in the summer get very confusing when you have too many cooks on the dock trying to figure out what’s going on,” Mr. Carroll said. “If a boat comes to the fuel dock, my dock attendant deals with them, not the harbor department.”

“I think the board has to decide who runs the harbor,” added Chilmark building inspector Leonard Jason Jr. “The harbor master or a tenant?”

Selectmen ended the discussion by agreeing to adopt a five-point set of expectations outlined in a July 14 email from Mr. Malkin to Mr. Carroll. Among other things, the expectations state that the harbor master is indisputably in charge of the harbor and Mr. Carroll is required to allow use of the fuel dock for noncommercial purposes such as taking on water, pumpout, etc.

The expectations also state in part: “Good will as between the harbor department and Menemsha Texaco shall govern relationships . . . . Let’s all work together to make Menemsha harbor a warm, inviting place to which people want to return and good-mouth.”

In other business, selectmen approved a $65,000 annual contract for Chilmark fire chief David Norton. The contract runs through July 30, 2019. Mr. Norton will be paid retroactively to Jan. 1 of this year.

Selectmen also appointed and welcomed back Catherine Thompson to the Chilmark planning board, who had previously served from late 2010 to 2013.

Ms. Thompson’s appointment will run until it is put to a vote in April’s annual election.

The meeting began with a moment of silence for Trina Kingsbury, who died August 31.