Epsom voters saw a relatively quiet deliberative session Saturday, with all proposed warrants being passed to the town ballot without incident or amendments.

"Everything went well," said Board of Selectmen Chair Robert Blodgett. "Everything slid right through. We were out of there in an hour."

According to Blodgett, "not a one" amendment was passed or proposed on the warrants, and there was very little discussion or debate.

"We explained every article when we presented the warrants and explained what the reason for the recommendations, and the budget committee's recommendations, and we had no complaints from anybody," he said. "They were happy with what they heard."

Epsom's proposed operating budget is $2,940,613, $78,470 higher than the default budget. Several of the additional warrants deal with safety equipment and personnel, including $31,912 to hire a full-time police officer, $32,660 to hire a full-time firefighter/paramedic, $16,800 for 10 sets of replacement firefighting gear, and $30,000 to purchase a cardiac monitor/defibrillator.

Many of the warrant articles place money into capital reserve funds, largely for the purchase of town equipment.

Article 15 would raise and appropriate $25,000 to continue design and building work at the town meetinghouse, and Article 3 would withdraw $5,000 from the "Town Morrison Fund" to remodel the town website.

Whether or not this relative quiet will carry through to the town election, however, Blodgett can't say, as only about 30 residents were present at the deliberative session.

"What happens come voting time, we don't know," said Blodgett.

The town election will be held March 12 in the gymnasium of the Epsom Central School on 282 Black Hall Road. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

bclogston@newstote.com