Voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting in Alna favored getting a modular town office and selling the cape. They chose the option over two others in a majority show of hands at the fire station.

Then in another show of hands they authorized selectmen to take out a 30-year, $260,000 loan for the project. In the same followup warrant article, they approved $10,300 selectmen said would go to first year costs on the mortgage.

Ed Pentaleri moved for the option selectmen said was the best buy and would be cheaper to operate, the modular. Pentaleri likened renovating the cape to improving a high mileage car bought years ago. It would be a renovated old beater, he said.

Third Selectman Doug Baston said the modular would cost the most of the three options until the cape’s sale is factored in. Real estate agents have estimated it and two of the town's acres could go on the market for about $130,000; Baston said the sale would bring down the debt. The other options – renovating and adding onto the cape for about $238,000 or renovating alone, for about $122,000 – did not come to a vote.

Some residents questioned the need for more meeting space when the fire station opposite the cape on Route 218 has a meeting room. Others said the town should keep looking at other options including stick-built. Lynne Flaccus said she was seeing some information for the first time. “I wouldn't buy a house that way.”

Also Saturday, voters put $10,000 into a new reserve fund to repair and repave the fire station parking lot; gave nonprofits the full $17,231 proposed; raised the emergency management agency director's pay by $200 to $500 and agreed to pay the director $15 an hour for calls; hiked the fire department budget $15,247, to $84,863 after a hike in calls; elected Jim Bruce to the cemetery committee; and on a motion from Beth Whitney, put $500 toward restoring Head Tide Church. Selectmen and Friends of the Head Tide Church had recommended $200.

About 70 turned out Saturday. The meeting took nearly two hours. Before adjournment, moderator and resident Chris Cooper praised attendees. It’s been a hard year, he said. “And to be able to come here today and treat each other decently is probably the highest accolade any of us could give the others.”