FAIRFIELD -- Voters agreed to buy a new tanker truck for the fire department and to acquire land and buildings around the public library for possible expansion during early voting at the annual town meeting Monday night.

In previous years, articles in the usually long town warrant were voted on and passed sometimes in less than 30 minutes, but that was not the case this year.

Discussion centered on municipal debt and the failing Teague technology park and on hiring a police officer to replace one who had moved to another town.

And there was good news early, as Town Councilor Franklin Bouchard told the assembly that insurance premiums would be $15,000 less than expected.

In most cases -- with only 33 articles of the 68-article town warrant being discussed 90 minutes into the meeting -- residents sided with the lowest of three recommendations for passage.

The town manager and department heads offered one spending line for each article and the budget committee and the town council offered their own.

On the police department spending line, voters agreed to spend more than $944,000, which included hiring a replacement officer, a higher spending line than the Council and the Budget Committee had offered.

Former Fairfield Town Councilor Phil Roy, now chairman of the Somerset County Commissioners, said he sees the jail reports every day and that this would not be the best time to cut back on police.

"I see the rise of jail inmate population," Roy said in support of the higher spending. "This is not the time to be cutting an officer from the force."

Voters agreed.

Residents went with the lower spending for the town's office of economic and community development, agreeing to the budget committee's $90,000 and rejecting higher bids from the Council and department heads of $101,000 and $103,000 respectively.

The new town planner will not have a support staff as a result.

On buying a new taker truck for the Fire Department, residents agreed to a price tag that would be no more than $280,000 and done in a three-year lease purchase agreement.

Payments would be made through the fire department's reserve accounts.

The vote was 56-16 in favor of the purchase.

That vote and the next one on the Lawrence Public Library property were done by paper ballot. Moderator Leonard Dow said the ballots were required by state law because the votes involved incurring new debt.

The Historical Society's Barbara Gunvaldson and others wondered if old, stately homes would be demolished to make way for parking and a library expansion.

The proposal would be to buy one or two existing homes and land for $210,000. The cost would include $75,000 from the library's reserve account. The rest, about $130,000, would be borrowed.

Town Manager Paul Blanchette said the plan could include buying the properties and selling existing homes on Lawrence Avenue and Summit Street to preserve them while keeping the land.

Former Councilor William Hagerty said the library is getting busier every year and needs more space, despite the fact that taxable land would be taken off the town books.

"If we pass this over at this time, the opportunity may not come again," Hagerty said.

Voters agreed 44-23.

Doug Harlow -- 861- 9244

dharlow@centralmaine.com