MARION — Marion voters packed into the Sippican School multi-purpose room on Monday, May 8 and had their say on 34 items on the 2024 Spring Town Meeting agenda.

Every item on the agenda was passed by the town.

Voters approved Marion’s $27,516,635 operating budget for Fiscal Year 2024, but not without raising questions with some line items proposed by the town.

Some significant budget items included a $466,078 allotment to Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, a 28.03% increase from Fiscal Year 2023.

According to Marion Finance Director Judy Mooney, this is because five additional Marion students will attend Upper Cape Cod in the next school year.

Marion voter Sharon Matzek questioned the validity of purchasing a new $72,029 police cruiser.

“Every year we seem to appropriate funds for a new police cruiser [and] it seems like a lot of money,” she said.

According to Marion Police Chief Richard Nighelli, the department has historically purchased a new cruiser every year, and two new cruisers every three years.

“It’s worked out well for us,” he said. “The cruisers get to about 120,000 [miles] and then we trade them in or they go to surplus.”

Marion voter Andrew Santos asked if the new cruiser would be an electric car, to which Nighelli responded, “no.”

“Why not?” asked Marion voter Alanna Nelson.

Nighelli responded that the proper infrastructure is not in place to handle fully electric cars on the police department’s fleet. He added that the Bourne and Wareham Police Departments have had issues with hybrid vehicles.

Other significant line items included a 5.8% increase in “human services,” which includes budgets for the Board of Health, Council on Aging and veterans services; a 24.62% increase in debt service, and a 100% reduction in funds allocated toward Bristol County Agricultural School.

For more information on specific budget line items, the Marion Town Warrant can be viewed online at www.marionma.gov.