With uncertainty surrounding the plans by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to build a class II gaming facility in town, Aquinnah selectman Jim Newman confirmed this week that he had met with tribal chairman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais to discuss the current status of the project. But there were few new details to report.

At the regular selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, Mr. Newman informed the other two board members that he had met last week with Ms. Andrews-Maltais, as well as town counsel Ron Rappaport and an attorney for the tribe.

“They expect to be up and running in the summer,” Mr. Newman said. “This is the first time we have sat down and talked. It was a very good meeting. Nothing has been signed or anything else. Rather, just discussion at this point. But it opened the way for us to start having a good dialogue.”

The tribe was cleared to build a class II gaming facility, or bingo hall, by the U.S. Supreme Court last January. Since then, few details have emerged about the plans, although in September the tribe’s gaming faction announced a partnership with an Oklahoma Native American gaming operation owned by the Chickasaw Nation.

According to reports from tribal members, Global Gaming Solutions has agreed to invest $12 million to build a 10,000-square-foot bingo facility on a 17-acre piece of land that abuts State Road between Moshup Trail and Black Brook Road.

The land currently remains undeveloped.

On Tuesday selectman Juli Vanderhoop aired her frustration over the lack of details that emerged from Mr. Newman’s meeting with the tribe.

“So basically the meeting was very minute, it sounds like,” she said. “It sounds narrow in scope and everything else — that’s no further than we were six months ago.”

Mr. Newman replied that any meeting was progress.

“Well, I’m glad you feel that way,” Ms. Vanderhoop replied. “I don’t. There’s a lack of understanding here that is quite profound for me.”

She continued: “I will state it that I’m not comfortable not knowing what our neighbor, what my tribe, has going on up its sleeve. And this is embarrassing. I don’t understand why none of our questions, agreements, letters, et cetera are being answered. And I’m upset.”

Mr. Newman also stressed the importance of renewing a town-tribe public safety agreement which has lapsed. He said town and tribal leaders met to work on a new agreement approximately two years ago, but never signed the document because of the pending litigation over the casino rights issue.

“We definitely have to have a meeting about the town-tribe public safety agreement and have that re-ratified,’ Mr. Newman said. “We should probably send another letter to them explaining to them that it’s very important we sit down and do it ASAP.”

Aquinnah fire chief Simon Bollin, who attended the meeting, said according to the current agreement he only has to respond to fires at residences on tribal lands, not public buildings such as the community center or water treatment plant.

“That’s what’s been signed,” the fire chief said. “That said, if there were a fire in any one of those buildings, we would have to put it out. We just couldn’t sit by and let it burn.”

Selectmen decided to send a letter to tribe requesting a meeting to renew the public safety agreement. Town administrator Jeffrey Madison said the letter would go in the mail sometime next week.

Board members also agreed that the next meeting with tribal leaders should include the other two selectmen.

“I think perhaps we should ask if we can have a meeting with the whole board?” Mr. Newman said.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Ms. Vanderhoop said.