Quelling any quorum doubters, West Tisbury voters turned out 156 strong Tuesday night to approve a short list of business items that included expanding the scope of an affordable housing initiative and money to repair a section of the ailing town cemetery fence off State Road.

There were eight articles on the special town meeting warrant. Moderator Dan Waters led the hourlong meeting in the West Tisbury School gymnasium.

An early-stage initiative to develop rental housing on a 4.9-acre piece of town-owned land behind the old fire station on the West Tisbury-Edgartown Road was reaffirmed but not before some debate about the wisdom of expanding the project. Voters previously approved $50,000 in predevelopment money for a two-duplex rental project at 565 Edgartown Road. Now the affordable housing committee wants to possibly expand the project to include a maximum of 18 bedrooms in seven units.

A handful of voters, including one abutter, questioned the possible density of the plan although not the need. Others, including committee members, urged voters to back the change amid heartfelt remarks about the deplorable lack of decent year-round housing for Islanders.

“This is a slam dunk,” said Ted Bayne.

In the end voters agreed and two articles addressing the change were easily approved.

The deteriorating picket fence around the historic town-owned cemetery off State Road continues to be a sore point. At the annual town meeting in April 2014 voters approved $$75,000 to replace the fence, but when town leaders returned to a special town meeting late the same year seeking more money because bids had come in too high, voters balked and the article was rejected. The article this week sought $6,000 to repair a portion of the fence. Pictures were posted outside the gym for viewing by voters.

Selectman Richard Knabel urged approval of the article.

“It’s an embarrassment,” he said, “and disrespectful to the people buried there. We are in the process of allowing demolition by neglect.”

The money was approved.

In other business, voters agreed to clean up language in the sign bylaw and shift permitting from the planning board to the zoning board of appeals, said yes to adjusting the town wage scale through an upgrade to the town personnel classification plan, approved $12,500 for repairs at Howes House and $4,000 for a new utility pole at the intersection of Old County and State Roads.

At the outset police chief Dan Rossi read a report from the town highway building committee, updating voters on plans to construct a new highway building in the public safety building complex in North Tisbury. Hard numbers for the project will be ready in December and a series of public forums will follow.

The meeting adjourned just after 8 p.m. and voters filed out into the crisp, clear November night.