Chilmark selectmen J.B. Riggs Parker and Frank Fenner had some choice words for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and their budget process at a meeting Tuesday.

Attending the meeting were Martha’s Vineyard Commission executive director Mark London and Chilmark commissioner Chris Murphy. Mr. Murphy initially sought to allay the concerns of the selectmen, explaining that though the $1.8 million MVC budget was voted through by members two weeks ago as per a statutory requirement, the situation for towns had now become more dire and that they plan to revisit their budget.

“Whatever the towns do, we’ll take as our lead and try and emulate that,” said Mr. Murphy. “If it looks like we’re out of line with the towns we’ll try and get in line.”

But the discussion flared up quickly.

Mr. Fenner said that more than a month ago the town sent out a letter to regional bodies calling for level funding. And Mr. Parker criticized the commission for not involving the town more in its budget process.

“This is the first I’ve seen the MVC before this town on a budget matter. I think you owe the town to come and talk . . . I understand you went to Edgartown,” he said.

“Your point is well taken but it hasn’t been necessary in the past,” said Mr. Murphy.

“With all due respect it’s an attitude question, the MVC needs to have a sea change,” Mr. Parker declared.

“If it’s an attitude problem, I think it’s yours,” shot back Mr. Murphy.

“You finalized your budget after you went to Edgartown,” said Mr. Parker.

Mr. Fenner criticized a perceived lack of transparency in the MVC budget process and then singled out the level of health insurance offered to commission employees.

“We pay 75 per cent of health insurance. It’s small savings like that. You’re still paying 90 per cent of medical,” he said, adding:

“We’re cutting $30 here, $20 there. Anything you can do to help us.”

Selectman Warren Doty pointed out that Chilmark’s commission assessment under the voted MVC is nearly identical with last year.

“I don’t see what the problem is,” he said. But Mr. Parker said his complaint with the commission extended beyond the current budget.

“I don’t think this is just about level funding,” he said. “We also think it should be about good services for the money paid. I’ve had some issues with the MVC over the last 20 years. You’ve become a bureaucratic permit processor. You need to do some original thinking.”

Mr. Murphy replied: “The health care is something we’ll look really hard at.” He also asked selectmen to send a list of their concerns.

Later William Bennett, recently appointed by the selectmen to the commission, asked the board for guidance on how to represent the town.

“To me [the commission] is a little like an unfunded mandate,” said Mr. Fenner. “It’s a permit-granting board in my opinion. A certain amount of development is necessary but they focus in just on the principles of smart growth,” he also said.

“What I’m hearing is, they’ve lost their way?” offered Mr. Bennett.

Mr. Parker gave succinct marching orders: “Bring some reason to them,” he said.

Mr. Bennett has some experience with the commission on the other side of the table as a developer. In 2005 and 2006 the commission reviewed his Cozy Hearth subdivision plan as a development of regional impact. The commission approved the plan, but it later ran into trouble at the local level; a court dispute with the town of Edgartown remains pending.

In other news, the purchase of the Home Port restaurant in Menemsha is imminent, according to acting general manager David Zeilinger.

“If the stars align we’ll be in the law offices Monday morning,” he said yesterday.

Mr. Zeilinger, who will be general manager of the restaurant under its new ownership, attended the Tuesday meeting with contractor Reid Silva.

Mr. Parker brought up several concerns he and Mr. Fenner voiced at a meeting two weeks ago regarding the purchase.

“Bob [Nixon, the new owner] mentioned the kayak waterfront access,” he said. “We’d be happy to accept any arrangement along those lines.”

Mr. Fenner, who owns a restaurant across the road from the Home Port, did not recuse himself from the discussion but neither did he actively participate.

Mr. Zeilinger said he and the owners planned for a smooth transition that would see little change to Menemsha.

“The Nixons have no real intentions to change the Home Port from what it has it has been for the past 50 years,” he said.

Alluding to the possibility that part of the restaurant’s septic system is on town land, Mr. Parker said the town should be indemnified against any failure in the system.

But Mr. Doty suggested doing so would open up several other residences to the same scrutiny, adding that there were probably three or more other places with the same situation.

“Why not leave well enough alone?” he said.

Mr. Parker insisted he felt a duty to pursue the matter.

Responding to another concern voiced by Mr. Parker over the loss of a waterfront lot to a private buyer and that the new owners would be bringing increased employee traffic to the area, Mr. Zeilinger said traffic control was a top priority, and that employees plan to carpool and take the bus, And he said restaurant hours will be the same as under previous owners.