For the first time since 2004, the town of West Tisbury is facing a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override at this year’s annual town meeting. That means the town will likely be asking for a tax increase of over two and a half per cent, which requires approval from voters.

Town accountant Bruce Stone presented a budget forecast at the selectmen’s meeting Wednesday night. He said the town has been able to make creative use of other funds to avoid an override in previous years.

“It felt like we deferred off this for several years coming up with other sources of things, and we’ve run out of all those sources of funding,” Mr. Stone said.

He estimated the town would be over the levy limit by about $400,000.

Selectmen discussed how to present the request to the town, weighing what portion of those extra costs should be presented as one-time capital exclusions or permanent individual overrides, meaning the town would vote on them separately, and what portion should be presented as part of the general budget.

“I’m looking for a way that people might be more inclined to vote for something — a one-time hit on their taxes — if we break it up,” said chairman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd.

Selectman Cynthia Mitchell said she could see where it could be easier to explain to the town why specific articles, a new truck for the fire chief for example, are necessary.

Also included in the forecast were warrant articles for a new police cruiser, repaving the fire station and up-Island regional school district costs.

Town treasurer Kathy Logue said it would be better to present the increase as part of a general override.

“I believe you’re better off to put your effort into selling one package. And I think a big selling point is that the budget itself is a very responsible budget,” she said.

Mrs. Mitchell appeared to agree. “We’ll have to explain in pretty clear terms the fact that we haven’t had an override in quite a while, the benefit of having an override, the responsible budgeting, and invite people to support the town budget as a whole,” she said.

Selectmen agreed to continue discussion at their next meeting on Feb. 14, where more exact numbers are expected.

The annual town meeting is April 10.

One main order of business was the vote to approve Lieut. Matt Mincone as the town’s next police chief.

In January, Chilmark selectmen wrote a letter to West Tisbury asking if they would be interested in exploring a tri-town fire department. Selectmen asked town administrator Jennifer Rand to decline on their behalf.

Selectmen also:

• Approved the use of $4,000 for maintenance of the James Pond channel, which allows for the migration of herring in the spring.

• Appointed Mr. Manter to an Islandwide committee that will study and update the language of the regional high school agreement.

• Approved the budgets for the treasurer collector and assistant treasurer collector positions. The town will vote on whether to eliminate the tax collector position at town meeting, which would save the town an estimated $48,000.

• Voted to participate in an application for a community development block grant with Edgartown. The grant supports child care and housing repairs for lower-income residents.

• Voted 2-1 to grant special municipal employee designation to the law firm Rackemann, Sawyer and Brewster. The firm represents the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. A firm attorney Brian Hurley has a private client involved in a lawsuit with Aquinnah. Each town will have to approve the designation to allow the firm to continue to represent the commission while Mr. Hurley represents that client.

This story has been updated to reflect that it would be the first overrride since 2004, not 2014.