Tisbury selectmen considered the possibility of building a solar car canopy in town and appointed a new member to the harbor management committee at their meeting Tuesday.

Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC) asked if the town was interested in exploring the installation a solar carport. William Straw, the Tisbury representative on the board of directors at CVEC, said the canopy could cover approximately 50 parking spaces with the possibility of as much as $10 per parking space per month going to the town. The town would receive no net metering credits, only benefiting from the lease amount paid.

While not backing away from the idea, board chairman Tristan Israel was reluctant to agree to the CVEC deal without shopping around to other power companies and vendors.

“We’re giving up town property, it’s an asset to them or they wouldn’t want to be doing it . . . . so why aren’t we just shopping this around?” he asked.

Mr. Straw said with CVEC the town would not have to put up any money for the project, but Mr. Israel said he felt there was no harm in asking others.

“This may be the best deal we can get — but what if there is another competitor that we don’t have to put up any money but they’re giving us a little more, I don’t know if that’s the case, but why wouldn’t we at least float that out there?” he said.

It would not be the first solar car canopy; Cronig’s Market owner Steve Bernier built a large canopy over his parking lot three years ago.

Town administrator John (Jay) Grande agreed to work with Mr. Straw to gather information. Location is another issue. The town does not have many large parking lots and the park and ride has engineering difficulties as it is built on a capped landfill. The town also has agreements with the Steamship Authority and Vineyard Transit Authority for the park and ride lot, Mr. Israel said.

Mr. Straw suggested the lot where the old fire department building was torn down or a the parking area by the playing fields at Veterans Park as possibilities. He also said a new soccer field in the early planning stages behind the department of public works building with a parking arrangement for about 50 cars could be a viable location.

In other business, John M. Packer and Matthew R. Hobart were both interviewed to fill a vacancy on the harbor management committee. Selectmen voted to appoint Mr. Packer, citing his experience with the committee and a long interest in joining, but said they would consider an alternate position on the committee for Mr. Hobart.

“I feel like we have an opportunity, two great candidates to be on this board that desperately in need of members,” said selectman Melinda Loberg. “I anticipate that there may even be another vacancy coming up. I suggest we appoint Mr. Packer as the member and Mr. Hobart as alternate, so that he can start going to meetings and get familiar with the process. Perhaps when a regular opening comes up he will be in a better position to decide if this is something he wants to continue with, he would be a more knowledgeable member.”

Mr. Grande reported the utility poles on Beach street between Main street and Five Corners are slated to be taken down as early as this week or next, marking the end of the construction work that has been under way to bury utility lines.“There’s going to be a lot of motorists who are going to be so thrilled to have their mirrors intact going on Beach street,” said Mrs. Loberg.

The selectmen also voted to accept a $5,000 grant for the cultural district to be used for signs and brochures.