The historic Mill Pond Dam in West Tisbury will undergo a comprehensive study this summer due to a state requirement that the dam to be reviewed every five years.

At their weekly meeting on Wednesday, West Tisbury selectmen authorized spending $1,000 on the study. The money is largely for administrative fees associated with filing the report to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Town dam inspector and civil engineer Kent Healy will perform the inspection with help from surveyor Bill Austin.

The inspection is intended to review the soundness of the dam and inspect the state of the culverts, Mr. Healy said.

“If I thought there was an imminent need in the dam I would put that in this report,” Mr. Healy said.

Mr. Healy said the dam is classified in a hazardous category due to its proximity to the road.

Mr. Healy and Mr. Austin have volunteered their services at no charge to the town, and said the town should plan to budget $5,000 for this type of inspection in the future.

The state of the culverts is of some concern to Mr. Healy.

“There is an 18-inch plastic culvert, which leads to a rusted 18-inch diameter culvert, which leads into a rusted two-foot culvert, which leads into the dam, which goes under the road,” he said. “I’m concerned about the connection . . . erosion is taking place on the berm of the west side of the pond and dirt is eroding around the concrete head wall. If there were significant erosion it would drain the pond.”

The study is due Sept. 17.

In other business, selectmen heard a request from resident Susanna Sturgis to reconsider the no-dog policy on the town tennis courts at the West Tisbury School.

Ms. Sturgis said she routinely uses the courts to train her dog, and she was “surprised and disappointed” when a no-dog sign went up earlier this month.

“I need a secure place to train and the tennis court has been really important for us,” she said. “I don’t think it’s called for; I’ve been doing this for almost three years and causing no problem. We have a track record there. I’m a responsible person, my dog is responsible. I don’t see any reason why we can’t continue to do it and why people aren’t queueing up to train on the tennis courts. I don’t see any problem with it and it should be something to be encouraged.”

Parks and Recreation board administrator Peggy Stone had another view.

“It’s not a court made for dog training, it’s for tennis and basketball,” she said.

Parks committee member Susanne Hammond agreed. “It’s not multi-use,” she said.

The selectmen suggested Ms. Sturgis take up the matter with the parks committee directly.