The Chilmark selectmen this week stood by their decision to allow the owners of a pointing griffon named Maisy to send the dog off-Island for rigorous training and not be put to sleep. Last month Maisy attacked a Yorkshire terrier that later died as a result of his injuries.

Bob Zeltzer told selectmen this week that he was traveling out of the country when the terrier, Chip, was attacked while being walked by his wife, Linda Zeltzer. Mr. Zeltzer had not yet returned when the selectmen held a hearing last week to determine what would happen to Maisy as a result of the attack.

The selectmen determined that Maisy would be allowed to go through an intensive training program off-Island with a professional dog trainer, and could return to her owner, Jim Morgan, when the trainer felt that the dog was ready. Mr. Morgan was also ordered to pay the veterinary costs for the Zeltzers. Mrs. Zeltzer attended the hearing and did not object to the selectmen’s ruling.

But this week Mr. Zeltzer appeared before the board to raise his own objections.

“The one thing I learned from years in business is that when something goes wrong, you don’t just throw a Band-Aid on it,” he told the selectmen. “The real issue is public safety.”

Maisy is a hunting dog by breeding, and potentially dangerous not only to animals, but also to small children around town, Mr. Zeltzer suggested. “The town will certainly get sued if that dog shows up hurting some person or killing something else,” he said. Mr. Zeltzer suggested that the dog be sent off-Island. “There are places that will take dogs. And they live out their life and there is a guarantee that they will never be put down,” he said, adding:

“I feel so strongly about this because of the trauma that Linda experienced. As a husband of 49 years I share that trauma. I will pursue every legal action I can find.”

But Chilmark animal control officer Chris Murphy, who initially recommended that Maisy be put to sleep based on the vicious nature of the attack, stood behind the board’s decision. “You were asked to make a judgment call,” he said. “The conclusion you came up with seems to me eminently fair.”

But Mr. Zeltzer pressed his point. “I’m not questioning the integrity of what you did,” he said. “I’m saying that it could be reexamined. All I’m asking is that you take another very serious look at the decision you’ve made.”

The selectmen said they will consider Mr. Zeltzer’s concerns, but that their decision stands.

In other business, the board voted to award a contract to Cole Powers to install the utilities for the Middle Line Road affordable housing project. The bid was just under $189,000 and was not the low bid.

This is the second round of bids. The first round took place in September. The selectmen were prepared to accept the apparent lowest bid, from Farrell Electric Inc., of North Eastham, but the company withdrew their bid citing an illness in the family prior to being awarded the contract. Two other bids were rejected and selectmen decided to readvertise.

This week Robert Young of Edgartown, who had submitted the second lowest bid of $194,000 in the first round, questioned the board. “Can I get an answer to why the second bid wasn’t taken at the time?” he asked. Selectmen said they felt it was not in the best interest of the town at the time.

This time there were four bids. The low bid from Rogers Electric of Vineyard Haven was for $162,000. Next was the bid from Powers Electric of Vineyard Haven, followed by bids from Mr. Young and Cullen Electric of Marshfield, for $208,000 and $225,000 respectively. The decision to reject the low bid was based on a recommendation from Frank LaRusso, a member of the Middle Line Road construction advisory committee, who said the company had failed to recognize an addendum in the contract and had not included unit pricing for materials in the bid.

Mr. Rogers, who attended the meeting, protested the decision. “My bid was $26,000 less than the next lowest bid,” he said. “The two mistakes that were made on my bid were minor . . . I can’t do this job wrong or you don’t have to pay me a dime. And to tell me you’re not going to accept my bid . . . as a public official in other towns I just don’t understand that.” The selectmen stood firm in their decision.

At the outset of the meeting a public hearing to review the 2009 summer season in Menemsha touched on a variety of issues from litter to public drinking to noise disturbances.

Members of the harbor advisory and parks and recreation committees joined the discussion. Selectmen made no decisions about changes for next summer, but agreed to look into ways to monitor litter and to minimize disruptions in the scenic fishing village.