SABATTUS — They needed at least 25 residents to come out on an overcast, rainy Saturday morning in order to have enough for a quorum.

Instead, town officials were met with 80 people ready to talk about jobs, roads, emergency medical services and everything else related to the town’s 2012-13 budget at what might be the final traditional town meeting for Sabattus.

Sabattus has about 3,700 registered voters and needed 25 for a quorum at town meeting. In 2011, it almost didn’t have enough.

During Saturday’s meeting, voters approved a $2,230,298 budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The amount represents an increase of about $177,020, or 8.62 percent, over the present budget of $2,053,278.

The town’s Budget Committee submitted a $2,245,281 budget for taxpayers to consider. In the end, voters shaved off $8,000 from the general assistance fund and $7,000 from professional services, as well as minor amounts from other departments.

One department that saw increase in funding this year was the Sabattus Fire Department, with an increase of $21,312 from last year. Sabattus fire Chief Don Therrien said he was very pleased with the public’s decision, especially because it helps his department maintain its fledgling EMS program.

“We told them we’re going to take baby steps and build this program slowly,” Therrien said. “I’m not going to go out and spend lots and lots of money.”

Therrien said he was happy about Saturday’s town meeting, which saw support from residents for continuing the Fire Departments pilot EMS program started in January, thanks to a $9,000 grant for insurance and supplies.

Since Jan. 13 volunteer firefighters who are also trained emergency medical technicians have responded to calls for help whenever United Ambulance also was dispatched to potentially life-threatening emergencies.

Of the 133 calls the Fire Department responded to between January and late May of this year, 87 of those had an EMS component.

“We had a pretty good vote of confidence,” Therrien said, adding that $3,000 of the department’s increase will go toward the EMS program. “We’ve got nothing but good feedback from the citizens. We’ve helped save a lot of lives.”

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