West Tisbury’s single tax rate is going down in 2020, from $6.18 to $6.07, assuming the state Department of Revenue has no objection to the valuations submitted earlier this year by town assessor Dawn Barnes.

“For a property valued at $500,000, the taxes will decrease from $3,090 to $3,035,” a $55 drop, Ms. Barnes told selectmen Wednesday during their state-mandated annual tax classification hearing at town hall.

The lowered rate for 2020 is due to a 2.5 per cent increase in the tax levy and a 4.1 per cent increase in total town value, Ms. Barnes said.

Under state law, selectmen have the option to grant year-round West Tisbury residents a tax exemption of up to 35 per cent for their homes.

Ms. Barnes estimated about 1,072 of the town’s 2,354 residential parcels would be eligible for such an exemption, but board chairman Skipper Manter said he considers seasonal homeowners part of the community as well.

“They require very little services,” he said. “It’s well worth sharing the tax burden.”

Residential property makes up more than 95 per cent of the town, Ms. Barnes said, with an average parcel value of $1.1 million and a total value of $2.7 billion.

Selectmen voted unanimously for the single tax rate with no exemption.

At the regular meeting that followed the hearing the board held a discussion about event bookings at the Agricultural Society property. Mr. Manter said he believed activities there, such as weddings, are exceeding the agricultural preservation restriction (APR) on the property.

“I think they’ve gone beyond the limits they were given,” he said.

“It’s a zoning issue,” said selectman Kent Healy. “I think we should adhere to the zoning regulations.”

“Fewer events and less impact,” Mr. Manter said. “Follow the APR.”

Selectmen took no action on the topic, which was listed on the agenda as a preliminary discussion.

In other business, selectmen voted to drop a requirement for the town’s fire chief to hold a state-certified hydraulics license, also known as a hoisting license, to operate overhead equipment.

“It turns out that we don’t need that. It’s not required by the state,” said town administrator Jennifer Rand.

“We don’t have a ladder truck and we’re unlikely to get a ladder truck, so having this as a requirement might … cool the market when we’re looking for a fire chief,” Ms. Rand said.

Selectmen also appointed Robert Hauck to the town’s municipal vulnerability committee and Susan Silk to the affordable housing committee.

A public hearing on propane storage at a home under construction on Pond View Farm road was required by state law because the amount of propane exceeded 2,000 gallons, Ms. Rand told selectmen.

The applicants, represented at the hearing by builder Laurence Clancy, plan two 1,500-gallon underground storage tanks to run a backup generator for their new home.

Mr. Clancy said the 3,000 gallons of propane would power the property for about a week.

As the applicants’ near neighbor, Mr. Manter recused himself from voting, but spoke from the audience.

“I have no objections to it,” he said.

Mr. Healy and selectman Cynthia Mitchell then voted to approve the propane storage application, which goes next to fire chief Manny Estrella for his signature.

Selectmen meet next on Nov. 20, with no meeting scheduled for Thanksgiving week.