Summer crowds are gone, but town officials had streams of pedestrians and clogged streets on the mind during their fall walk-through at Menemsha.

A boardwalk that crosses a salt marsh and tidal channel across town-owned land near the Menemsha Inn sparked heated discussion at the Chilmark selectmen’s meeting Tuesday.

Chilmark selectmen continued to wrestle this week with the question of whether to allow swimming and wading in a shallow area of the Menemsha Channel.

Chilmark officials believe the source of stray voltage in the water at Menemsha has been located and addressed.

In Chilmark people are heading to the beach in droves and the town is working to manage the summer swells. The annual road race is August 12.

Commercial fishermen packed the room for the Chilmark selectmen’s meeting Tuesday to voice concerns about a planned new charter fishing boat operation out of Menemsha.