One month to the day after the surprise announcement that both Martha’s Vineyard representatives to the Steamship Authority port council were stepping down, the Island’s two SSA port towns on Tuesday named new members to the advisory body.

John Cahill, elected this year to his second term on the Dukes County Commission, was appointed to the port council by Tisbury’s select board, while Oak Bluffs selectmen chose former seven-term county superior court clerk Joe Sollitto.

“Now that I’ve retired, I’ve renewed my interest in this,” Mr. Sollitto told the Oak Bluffs board, noting that when first approached for the port council seat a few years ago he was concerned about a potential conflict with his position at Edgartown Courthouse.

“I think with my legal background and the time that I now have to offer, I could do a good job and be an asset to the Steamship Authority,” he said.

A former Oak Bluffs selectman, Mr. Sollitto also was an assessor for the town and currently works as an attorney with Brush, Moriarty & Flanders. Mr. Cahill cited his background in transportation work as qualifying him to represent Tisbury on the council. He represents Tisbury on the SSA’s long-range Vineyard transportation task force and recently was appointed as the county representative on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission joint transportation committee.

The port council meets monthly to review and recommend agenda items for the boat line board of governors. Budgets are the group’s primary concern, Mr. Sollitto told the Oak Bluffs selectmen.

“The secondary concern is to express to the selectmen some of the problems that might happen within the town of Oak Bluffs, so that you can advise the citizens of Oak Bluffs what some of the problems might be with the Steamship Authority,” Mr. Sollitto said.

Both men will serve terms that expire Dec. 31, 2021. They join current port council members Nathaniel Lowell of Nantucket, Robert Munier of Falmouth, Eric Shufelt of Barnstable, Mark Rees of Fairhaven and Edward C. Anthes-Washburn of New Bedford.

Aaron Wilson and Maia Coleman contributed reporting.