Thanks to the weather, Westport Island’s annual town meeting got off to a bright start on Saturday. Deputy Fire Chief Jason Abbott estimated that 75-80 residents attended the June 25 meeting to vote on 45 warrant articles.

The proceedings were managed with humor and deference to the rulebook by Christopher Cooper of Alna who served as moderator. “The town meeting is the only true form of democratic government left in the world,” Cooper proclaimed as the meeting began.

After a vote that allowed non-residents to speak on issues and one in favor of allowing the selectmen to renegotiate a Time-Warner contract, residents gave their attention to the question of constructing a sand and salt facility adjacent to the town office parking lot.

Jonathan DeWick of Pine Tree Engineering took the meeting through plans and costs and answered detailed questions from the residents. Costs and benefits were discussed and numbers were provided by selectmen George Richardson, Jr. and Ross Norton that showed a significant financial advantage for the town if a shed was constructed.

Without one, Westport is paying $203 per ton for the 80-pound bags. Once the facility is built to house larger quantities, the island will pay $65 per ton. The town uses approximately 2,000 cubic yards each year.

Overall, the article concerning the shed called for raising $150,000 to construct the facility and borrowing up to $150,000 to operate it.

Considerable discussion followed, some concerning the funding needed and some concerning the cost savings. At one point, resident William Hopkins moved to table the article for a future meeting.

“This has been a political football in this town for ten years,” former selectman Jack Swanton responded, urging the meeting not to table the article.

Resident E. Davies Allan announced that he would donate the costs for all of the site work, which he estimated to be worth between $30,000 and $60,000. But he stated that his donation would be withdrawn if the vote was postponed. After more debate, islanders voted to approve the construction of the facility.

Articles concerning town officers’ salaries, operating expenses for boards and committees, the digital tax map and town hall maintenance were approved with little discussion.

An article that concerned the appropriation of $2,000 for a new website created concern because it included the words “and hardware” when it should have only said “software.” When residents asked if the wording needed to be amended, Cooper suggested residents could just “ignore the ‘hardware’ portion” and vote on the article. “Your selectmen aren’t going to misuse this,” Cooper joked with the crowd. “And if they defraud you, I’ll make it up myself.”

Following the town’s June 14 vote to provide $50,000 in support of KELT’s acquisition of the 144-acre Squam Creek property, a warrant article was needed to fund the amount.

Discussion indicated that there were still many who disagreed with the majority who had voted in favor of the measure. Ruth Nelson moved to have the vote for funding conducted by secret ballot. The final vote to fund the $50,000 was 45 in favor and 20 opposed.

The rest of the warrant articles were approved and moments of praise and sadness followed. Abbott’s praise of Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters Gaye Wagner for her help in securing grant funding met with loud applause from residents. Richardson took the microphone and asked everyone present to observe a moment of silence in memory of Selectman Jerry Bodmer’s wife Carole Bodmer, who passed away earlier that week.

Residents took under three hours to complete the warrant.