Tisbury Selectmen approved two departmental budgets and the Martha's Vineyard Comission budget at last Tuesday's meeting.

Tisbury is facing a general override on its town meeting warrant this year for the first time since 1987. The final town budget has not yet been fixed, but the override will likely be between $1.2 and $1.3 million, according to town treasurer Tim McLean.

The override comes from years of town departments working to stay within Massachusetts Proposition 2 1/2 guidelines, which limit property tax increases to 2.5 per cent annually. That “hold the line” theme arose when the ambulance budget was discussed on Tuesday.

“Traditionally, salaries have been under budgeted, and this reflects the real cost to run the department,” town fire chief John Schilling said.

Mr. Schilling said that this is also the first year the department is tasked with reimbursing ambulance supplies, an expense formerly filled by the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. The hospital stopped providing reimbursement last year. Ambulance coordinator Tracey Jones joined a cooperative to purchase supplies at a reduced rate.

Harbormaster Jay Wilbur’s budget was approved with the condition that Mr. Wilbur present the budget to the harbor management committee. The harbor budget has increased this year due to maintenance costs for the engines on the department’s patrol boat.

Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission also appeared before the board to discuss their budget, which has increased 10 per cent over fiscal year 2014. Commissioner Brian Smith said the larger budget this year was the result of legal fees accrued. Commissioner Fred Hancock said that many of the legal fees come from assisting towns in defending district of critical planning concern (DCPC) cases.

“They have written these regulations, and those regulations are challenged by various parties,” Mr. Smith said. “And we as the regional planning organization basically give them the muscle to back up the DCPCs, but it wasn’t the decision of the commission per se that led to these lawsuits.”

Representatives from NStar presented a plan to selectmen to eliminate traffic poles on the stretch of Beach Road near Norton Lane. The plan will be in two phases, and will begin by moving three poles across the street. A fourth pole will be removed entirely. The poles are currently located near the chamber of commerce building.

“We took a look at some of the chunks taken out by trucks over the years, and this is something that, out of an abundance of caution, should be moved,” NStar community relations specialist Jerry McDermott said.

In the longer term, NStar plans to install a cable beneath Beach Road, and to eliminate the telephone poles. Mr. McDermott said he did not have a timeline for when the cable installation would take place, but that the pole transplanting would be done “before the ferries start getting busy.”

“We anticipate [that] to be a matter of weeks, not months,” he said.

The plan was unanimously approved.

In other business, the board approved a plan to hold a parade and rededication ceremony on Flag Day to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Veterans’ Park. They also approved a conditional offer of employment from the police department, with special officer Max Sherman filling a vacant position, and appointed Doron Katzman to the shellfish advisory committee. They appointed Jackie Wiley as an alternate to the committee.

The board approved a beer and wine license transfer from the Mansion House to J.B. Blau, owner of the recently opened Copper Wok. The Mansion House still holds the common victualler’s license for the restaurant space.

A request by Michael Ryan to change Cafe Moxie’s beer and wine license from an annual to a seasonal permit was withdrawn. Assistant to the town administrator Aase Jones said Mr. Ryan made the request because the building is for sale.