The West Tisbury select board this week voted to move forward with a plan to add two new electric vehicle chargers at the West Tisbury School. 

The board voted 2-1 at its meeting Wednesday to approve the energy committee’s proposed installation of the chargers, which were approved at the 2024 annual town meeting. 

Some select board members had concerns about wires to the chargers being above ground and the installation of extra poles to support them. But installing underground wires would delay the timeline, according to a presentation from Eversource to the select board in January. 

“[My understanding is] we put up a temporary pole to serve the chargers,” select board member Jessica Miller said. “And then at the time that we do the work on the school and run the new service underground, we would take the overhead [wires and poles] down and add the service into the new underground service.”

Select board chair Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter worried the poles may never go away once erected and was the lone vote against the plan. 

“It may be temporary, but it may be permanent, depending on what the school decides to do,” Mr. Manter said. “I understand the challenges and difficulties with the work...but I’m concerned.” 

The board also voted to open the soft shell clam season, effective Thursday through September.