Westporters will likely head to the polls to decide the fate of an estimated $3 million budget override, after voters at Tuesday's Town Meeting agreed to appropriate $1 million this coming fiscal year, contingent  on a future override.

The town meeting vote paves the way for a possible special election later this year, at which voters would be asked to approve an override to the state's Proposition 2 1/2, which allows no more than 2.5 percent levy growth per year. The override would allow the town to raise the levy, above and beyond the 2.5 percent maximum yearly cap, by the amount appropriated out of any approved override.

It is up to the select board to determine the total override amount, currently estimated to be $3 million, and whether an election should be called.

Town Meeting Warrant Article 6, which appropriates $1 million in contingent override funds this year, passed after about half an hour of discussion over where the appropriations would go, and why.

Under the approved warrant article:

• $405,000 would go to Westport Community Schools;

• $250,000 would go into the town's stabilization fund;

• $75,000 would go to police department salaries;

• $66,000 would go to fire department salaries;

• $65,000 would go to building department salaries;

• $60,000 would go to highway department salaries;

• $55,000 would go to information technology expenses;

• $19,000 would go to Council on Aging expenses;

• $5,000 would go to Council on Aging salaries.

Audience member Roger Menard, chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, asked for clarification on where the $405, 000 allocation to the school department would go, since a breakdown was not included in town meeting budget material.

"To fill in the gaps in our budget," school committee member Tony Viveiros said. "Salaries, programming, technology, you name it. We certainly could use more than $405,000."

Westport Community Schools Superintendent Thomas Aubin said the funds are desperately needed to keep the district afloat and at current staffing.

Rising costs have "completely decimated" the district in recent years, he said, using out of district transportation as an example. Costs per year have risen from $170,000 in 2021 to $275,000 in 2022 to $440,000 this year, he said. But the district continues to find ways to make ends meet without threatening needed services and staff, Aubin said. He left the microphone to cheers and claps from the audience.

Stabilization Fund

Under the appropriations approved Tuesday, $250,000 would go into a stabilization fund for use later use, and to spread the override's economic impact over a longer period of time. While town treasurer/collector Susan Brayton said the state recommends that Westport have $5 million in stabilization, the town currently has $1.3 million in the fund.

But former select board member Antone Vieira Jr. said he believes that any override funds available should go directly to the budget line items that need it, and not placed in a "rainy day fund." If the town wants to increase the stabilization fund, he said, it should be funded with free cash, and not on the backs of taxpayers.

"It'd be nice to do this but we have pressing needs," he said. "Let's not ask taxpayers who are strapping right now" to agree to a tax increase to fund a rainy day fund, he said.

After discussion on Westport schools and the stabilization fund ended, moderator Steven Fors brought the matter to a vote,  which carried.