Upgrading security at the West Tisbury town hall was a topic of discussion this week when selectmen approved a new safety and security policy for town employees.

The new policy allows employees to lock the town hall doors after business hours.

There was also discussion about installing security cameras inside the town hall lobby.

Board chairman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd, who is also a police sergeant in town, said he was in favor of installing a camera inside the lobby. He said it would act as an investigative tool. “It would only be used in the event that we needed some record of who would have been in and out of the building at that time,” Mr. Manter said. He suggested footage to stream directly to the police department.

But selectmen Richard Knabel adamantly opposed the idea. “It seems as if we are looking for a solution that’s looking for a problem,” Mr. Knabel said.

He said installing cameras would send the wrong message to the Island community.

“You think people wouldn’t come to the town hall if there was a camera?” Mr. Manter asked.

Mr. Knabel shook his head yes.

Selectmen agreed to discuss the issue again at their next meeting.

In other business, permits will now be required in West Tisbury for temporary events that include a tent. Building inspector Joseph Tierney told selectmen that Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and Vineyard Haven all require permits and charge a fee from $25 to $75; he suggested the town charge $25 for events with under 50 people and $50 for events with more than 50 people. He cited fire safety issues and the need to enforce clearances from certain objects such as propane tanks as the reason for requiring permits.

Mr. Tierney said the person setting up the tent would apply for the permit, not the person hosting the event or the property owner. He could not provide an estimate for how many permit applications he anticipated each year.

But the question of fees saw disagreement. Selectman Cynthia Mitchell said she thought charging $25 to $50 was a good idea, but Mr. Knabel and Mr. Manter disagreed. “We’re always charging fees, but the people doing these things are taxpayers,” said Mr. Manter. In the end the board agree to require permits but not charge fees.

Selectmen also gave brief updates on two ongoing town projects. The Mill Brook watershed study request for proposals has been posted on the town website; bid proposals are due Nov. 13.

And a draft RFP for the former police station building at the Mill Pond is nearly complete. Mr. Knabel said he would do some more work on language in the draft document and discuss it with the rest of the board at their next meeting.

Selectmen voted to grant a commercial shellfish license to Lawrence Schubert.

And they held a moment of silence to honor Robert Potts, West Tisbury resident and former publisher of The Broadside, who died on Oct. 11. “He was a well-known character in town,” Mr. Manter said. “He had a good sense of irony and used it,” added Mr. Knabel.