Islanders who gathered at the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council Monday night voted to postpone a controversial decision about whether to expand the Vashon Sewer District’s boundaries.

The issue will come back to the council after it holds a forum to explore the issue further.

The decision to postpone voting on the two related motions — put forward by sewer commissioner Ed Murphy — came after a lively, 15-minute debate over his proposals.

But with time running out for discussion, Hilary Emmer, a member of the council’s executive board, decided to put forward a motion to postpone the issue.

“I felt this issue was way too important to be decided after a 15-minute debate with only about 40 or so people in the room,” she said in an e-mail to The Beachcomber.

Her motion passed, 33 to 0.

The forum, which Emmer hopes will be attended by King County officials familiar with the issues, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wedneday, June 23, at McMurray.

“I am really hoping for a thoughtful discussion and to have answers to the various questions that come up,” Emmer said.

The motions are part of an effort on Murphy’s part to make the sewer district whole after it was reduced by the town plan several years ago. Others worry the move could mean more growth on the Island and more pressure on limited resources.