Compromise and congeniality were the hallmarks of the West Tisbury annual town meeting this year, as 210 voters marched through a 48-article warrant in three hours flat, first pausing at the outset to hear the annual reading from the town poet laureate and shower the retiring police chief with accolades and long-stemmed red roses.

“Isn’t this a great town?” beamed moderator F. Patrick Gregory following the reading by Fan Ogilvie.

And the meeting began. But not before proper honors were given to police chief Beth Toomey, who retired Tuesday after 16 years on the job. “It’s been 16 years since the day we borrowed my father’s big Chevy and went off-Island to interview the police chief candidate,” said former selectman John Early, who stood on stage with Cynthia Mitchell and John Alley, also selectmen when Ms. Toomey was hired, the first woman chief in the history of the Vineyard. “It was one of the hardest decisions and one of the best I ever made as a selectman,” Mr. Early said.

“This is bittersweet for me. It’s time to retire, it’s just time,” Chief Toomey said with a tear in her eye.

There were other acknowledgements too, including a special commendation for the town hall building committee led by Beatrice Phear. For her part, Mrs. Phear handed the selectmen a giant gold cardboard key, signaling that the work of her committee is now done. “I’m very happy to hand the town hall over to the selectmen,” Mrs. Phear said. Later in the meeting town resident and architect Ben Moore read aloud a special award given by the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust to the town for its renovation of the historic mansard-roofed building. “A resounding vote for the preservation of the centerpiece of the town,” the award said in part.

When it came to the annual business of the town, voters were decidedly more prosaic, approving a $13.2 million budget for the coming fiscal year with no discussion and no dissent, and breezing through a series of spending articles and bylaw amendments that touched on all the relevant topics of the day: affordable housing and rental assistance, wind turbine and cellular communication rules.

As billed, the two articles that generated the most discussion were one centering on a $25,000 spending request to take steps to deepen and remove sediment from the bottom of the scenic Mill Pond, and a separate article asking the town to put $150,000 toward a restoration project at the First Congregational Church. In both cases the money will come from the town Community Preservation Act fund.

There are sharply differing opinions in town about what should be done with the Mill Pond, but in the end the gap was ultimately bridged by the chief critic of dredging the pond. Kent Healy proposed a language change in the article that would point the spending at a study of the entire Mill Pond watershed. “Before any plans are made, the entire watershed must be understood,” he said.

At first Mr. Healy’s amendment snagged on a problem over whether the article as changed would still fit the requirements of the Community Preservation Act. CPA committee chairman Tony Nevin advised that the article must retain express language about preservation.

There was more back-and-forth discussion over how to tweak the language of Mr. Healy’s amendment. Town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport was called on for advice.

Mr. Rappaport explained that the state law that created the Community Preservation Act is broadly written, often vague and largely untested in the courts.

“There has only been one court case [involving the CPA],” Mr. Rappaport said. “Don’t get too hung up on the language. Vote what you want to do and — this may not bring you any comfort — but I will defend it.”

The word preservation was added and Mr. Healy’s amendment was approved. But before the main article was voted there was more to say about the Mill Pond. Prudy Burt, a member of the town conservation commission, who said she was speaking as a town resident and not for her board, said she would like to see the pond study include the possibility of returning the pond to a vegetated marshland. “We’ve learned a lot about natural river systems . . . we may want to consider removing the spillway and restoring the natural habitat there,” Ms. Burt said.

She tried to suggest a further amendment but voter response was tepid and Mr. Rappaport was dubious. “Talking about a vegetated wetland goes well beyond the scope of the article,” he said.

Robert Woodruff, a leader on the Mill Pond study committee, said the study would include an examination of all alternatives, and he explained the breakdown of the work schedule for the pond, both paid and unpaid, which will include taking measurements of water levels, analyzing core sediment samples, and engineering studies and analysis.

The Mill Pond money was approved in a voice vote.

Ditto for the Congregational Church article, but first there were issues of church and state to discuss. “This article makes me very uncomfortable; it’s uncomfortable somehow that we are asking for voter money for a private facility. I think it’s a lot to ask of voters,” began Eileen Maley.

Joan Ames agreed. “This country is based on a separation of church and state . . . I’m an atheist and proud to say so and I simply don’t feel right about paying taxes toward a church,” she said.

Others took a different view, including Mr. Moore, who said the article is for money to restore a historic building that happens to be a church. “And it is critical to the town center. That is what makes this so important,” Mr. Moore said.

“We are a historic landmark,” said the Rev. Cathlin Baker, the pastor of the church. She said 25 other churches across the state had used CPA money for restoration work.

Supporters of the article circulated a flyer at the meeting explaining the details of the project and listing the many community uses of the church ranging from alcoholics anonymous meetings to yoga classes.

“I see it as a historic building and I’m going to vote for it,” said Mrs. Phear.

A majority of voters agreed.

Voters also adopted the town’s first wind turbine bylaw after brief discussion about esoteric details such as how to define ambient noise.

They also:

• Created a new position of facilities manager for town buildings who will be paid $15,000.

• Adopted a new flood plain bylaw to satisfy federal requirements.

• Changed the title of town executive secretary to town administrator.

• Agreed to pay a share of an Islandwide project to replace the windows in the county courthouse in Edgartown, and similarly to share payment for the Islandwide pest control and health care access programs.

• Added some money to the town library budget to allow for hiring a high school student to work as a summer page. (And librarian Beth Kramer reminded voters that a public forum will be held on April 29 to discuss future space needs at the library).

• Banned private heliports in town.