ANDOVER — Before this year's Town Meeting, many town officials were singing the blues.
They simply couldn't afford all the people, programs and projects they said they needed to make the town run smoothly.
Even the theme song Town Manager Reginald "Buzz" Stapczynski picked for his budget, which he does every year, reflected the sentiment. It was from "Against the Wind," by Bob Seger — the line that reads "deadlines and commitments: what to leave in, what to leave out."
Voters came to Town Meeting with their own theme song, however — a thrifty one. It was that line by the Rolling Stones that goes: "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need."
"I think people were very aware and cautious of money issues," second-year Town Moderator Sheila Doherty said.
Voters opted for a $127.25 million budget that maintains basically level services.
On average, tax bills will increase by about $286, to $7,085. The town also will look for ways to raise $50,000 through fee increases because voters turned down a revenue-generating article to lease out the Old Town Hall.
The additional $50,000 is needed for the school budget. Stapczynski wasn't ready last week to name what those fee increases would be yet.
Big-ticket items that failed did so by close votes. Two items — buying open space so it won't be developed and a new sewer truck — both received majority votes. But they were bond items, so they needed two-thirds majority to pass.
Voters did choose to spend $7.3 million to cap the Ledge Road landfill and more than $4 million for improvements to a sewer pipe at risk of bursting. There will be new lights at Andover High School's Lovely Field, and new lights and sheds at Recreation Park, too.
"We're hoping people will see some improvements before the snow flies," Community Services Director Mary Donohue said. "We're very excited about and we're very happy with the decision."
Turnout was low for Town Meeting, which was held Wednesday, April 30, and Thursday, May 1. Just 4 percent of registered voters went the first night, and a little less than 2 percent on the second night.
Andover has 20,385 registered voters. On night one, 866 people came out. On night two, just 342 did so.
"That's what the turnout is when the budget is agreed upon," Assistant Town Clerk Kathy McKenna said, referring to the budget compromise plan struck among selectmen, the School Committee and the Finance Committee.
Doherty said next year, they may look at moving Town Meeting to Monday night, when it was held for several years. She said the reason they moved it to Wednesday this year was because of school vacation. Moving it back to Monday may attract more voters, she said.
Next year will be another tough budget year, Stapczynski said. But all said and done, he said, he was pleased with the outcome of this Town Meeting.
"On balance, it was a successful Town Meeting," Stapczynski said.
