Edgartown went to the sea and the cloud on Monday, launching a new website and setting dates for its commercial oyster season at its selectmen’s meeting.

Town IT manager Adam Darack explained that the website had been a longterm project for the town, but that it had gotten waylaid because of the pandemic back in March. Although the previous website worked well, he said, there were needed improvements.

“It was starting to get a little bit long in the tooth, a little bit outdated,” Mr. Darack said. “We needed to take advantage of some newer technology, including making things more mobile friendly.”

The website launched on Tuesday, and although it maintains similar navigation and features as the town’s old website, it includes a new town calendar page, as well as other functions. The calendar now shows meeting agendas, and website users can subscribe to receive updates when meetings, minutes or new agendas are posted. The website also has a cemetery look-up tool that shows plot locations.

Mr. Darack said he wanted to use the website to push content directly to residents, and asked for feedback.

“Even though we have this new website, people don’t want to go to the website. They want to receive content,” Mr. Darack said. “It’s definitely exciting. It’s definitely been a lot of work. I don’t think a website is ever finished . . . so I’m looking for feedback.”

Selectmen and town administrator James Hagerty thanked Mr. Darack for his work.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Mr. Hagerty said. “I think it’s going to be a very good product.”

Mr. Hagerty also informed selectmen that the town had received a $25,000 grant to update the human resources functions on its accounting software. Town human resources director Kim Lucas applied for the grant. 

In other business, selectmen voted unanimously to approve the town’s commercial oyster season in Sengekontacket Pond.

The season will run from Wednesday, Dec. 23 to Thursday, March 21, 2021, with a commercial limit of 10, 100-count oyster bags per day. Oysters will be available for harvest from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All other regulations remain in place.

“It’ll probably start out slow, but it will give the commercial guys a chance to test the market and get some oysters in the market for Christmas,” shellfish constable Paul Bagnall said.

Selectman Michael Donaroma asked how the season compared to years past. Mr. Bagnall said that it appeared strong, but that the closure of restaurants and dine-in options made sales difficult for oystermen.

“Doing pretty good,” Mr. Bagnall said. “We’re constrained with the aquaculturists by market conditions. Things are probably going to be a little better around Christmas, and then slack off when the weather breaks.”

Selectmen also approved two excavation permits: one for a property near the intersection of South Water street and Dunham Road, and another on the intersection of the Edgartown West Tisbury Road and Chase Road.

A request from Eversource to work at 88 South Water Street was also approved, and Carole Berger was appointed to the town historic district commission.