Oak Bluffs selectmen this week honored three young lifeguards for their action in three separate rescues this month.

The board awarded certificates of appreciation to Tiki Greene, 16, of West Tisbury, Genny Kent, 16 of Vineyard Haven, and Nick Sune-Fecitt, 20 of Oak Bluffs. All serve as lifeguards on town beaches in a program organized by the Oak Bluffs parks and recreation department.

On Wednesday, August 3, Ms. Greene and Ms. Kent responded to a capsized boat off Pay Beach, and assisted two men to safety.

On Friday, August 5, Ms. Green and Mr. Sune-Fecitt rescued a swimmer who got tired and was being carried by the ocean currents.

Later that afternoon, Ms. Kent and Mr. Sune-Fecitt handled a difficult situation with two intoxicated and belligerent men who swam well offshore.

“They went out and preformed the rescue, activated the system and got everybody moving,” said parks and recreation department director Marc Rivers, referring to the August 3 rescue. “I’m extremely proud of all three.”

Fire and ambulance chief John Rose was among those who responded to the beach.

“The first rescue was an extremely difficult rescue,” Chief Rose said. “The weather was rough, the wind was blowing offshore. They handled themselves professionally at all times. Couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Following the awards, Ms. Greene described her actions responding to one of the men who went into the water when the small boat capsized.

“I wanted to make sure he was comfortable,” she said. “He was very stressed out.”

Oak Bluffs ended its life guard program in 2009, in a budget cutting move. Town meeting voters approved funds to resume the program in the summer of 2013.

Also Tuesday, selectmen held a public hearing and approved a special permit for a home business operated by William White. Mr. White conducts martial arts self-defense classes for women from his home on Edson avenue. His classes are affiliated with the Adult Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard program.

In a letter to selectmen, Brian Weston, a neighbor who lives at 29 Second avenue, opposed the special permit. Mr. Weston said he and his family objected to noise from the classes.

Mr. Weston did not attend the public hearing, but five of Mr. White’s neighbors spoke in favor of the special permit.

Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the permit.

Also on the agenda was a public forum for summer residents to ask questions and air concerns. Board chairman Gail Barmakian organized a departure from the format of past summer meetings, in which selectmen and department heads fielded questions from the public. Instead, the department heads were stationed at tables in the Oak Bluffs library meeting room, offering information and speaking with residents simultaneously.

The format made it difficult for observers to determine whether summer residents lodged any objection or approval to the board of selectmen’s actions and policies, and impossible for Martha’s Vineyard Community Television to record the forum for replay on the cable television public access channel.