Edgartown voters unanimously approved all 14 warrant articles at a speedy special town meeting Tuesday, including a $2.5 million free cash article to make up for a shortfall in new fire station funds. 

The town wrapped up its meeting at the 10-minute mark with hardly any discussion. Town moderator Steve Ewing presided over the 147 voters that were handed candy canes upon entering the Old Whaling Church.

“We actually have quite a few more than a quorum,” Mr. Ewing said at the top of the night. “Want to thank you all for coming out on a cold night.”

The select board voted to lower quorum last month due to concerns that the holidays would affect attendance. Future town meetings will require the prior quorum, which is 5 per cent of the registered voters. 

No one spoke on the $2.5 million request for the fire station.

Ray Ewing

No one spoke on the $2.5 million request for the fire station.

Ray Ewing

A hush fell over the crowd when Mr. Ewing read Article 13, which asked voters to allocate $2.5 million to make up for a deficit in the new fire station budget. When no one stood up to speak about the article, applause rang through the room.

Fire Chief Alex Schaeffer told the Gazette after the meeting he was grateful to have the town’s support. 

“I’m excited to see that they’re committed to the project,” Chief Schaeffer said. “I hope that they understand we’re working very hard to keep it as affordable and realistic to the community as we possibly can.”

Voters already allocated $21.5 million for the new station at the annual town meeting in 2023. The fire department started planning the project in 2018. Plans for the new station are almost double the size of the current building to account for modern code-compliant fire trucks. 

Construction on the new station was scheduled to start in late September with the demolition of the existing station, but was halted when the town received bids higher than anticipated. A temporary tent that will house the fire trucks during construction is already in place in the field adjacent to the existing station. 

Chief Schaeffer said with the funds allocated the department can resume construction. He expects demolition of the existing building to begin soon after the holidays. 

“Everything is in the works,”  Chief Schaeffer said. “Tomorrow morning we’re going to start to phase over to the temporary structure.”

Edgartown voters also unanimously approved $47,000 for an upgrade to security at the police station, $65,000 for repairs to the town’s clarifier tanks and $25,000 for the replacement of the water department’s meter reading equipment. 

Money was also allocated for repairs to a harbor master boat and site work for the Edgartown School playground.

All spending items on the warrant were free cash and town administrator James Hagerty told the Gazette prior to the meeting it would not affect the tax rate.

Voters unanimously approved amending language from the annual town meeting allowing the town to remodel the existing animal control office instead of building a new one. 

They also approved expanding the use of a parcel on Meshacket Road, where the old landfill was located. The action allows the town to move forward with an ongoing project to install solar panels, which has been in the works for several years.

The meeting ended just as briefly as it lasted, with short words from Mr. Ewing.

“That’s it,” he said.