Selectmen approved two budget articles at their meeting to go before the voters at Town Meeting in April. One is a balanced budget with deep cuts, and the other is a budget with a placeholder for a proposition 2 1/2 override.

Selectmen, members of the Finance Committee and the Superintendent of Wareham Public Schools were all in attendance Tuesday to discuss how town officials need to show a financial plan for the future of Wareham in accordance with each budget.

"We want to put together a plan to show the taxpayers of this town, if there were additional funds coming in, what sort of services we would bring forth," said Town Administrator Derek Sullivan.

"We're trying to put together a plan that will continue to move our schools ahead but not put us in harm's way in another three years," Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood said.

She said the school department is hoping to develop a long range plan that finds greater efficiencies in expenditures and places the schools can combine with the town.

"How do we move forward in making this a win-win?" she said.

The amount of any potential override has not yet been determined. The budget put on the Town Meeting warrant contains a placeholder for an override to determined before Town Meeting.

As for the "barebones" balanced budget, Selectman Alan Slavin said that version will most likely be discussed next week once selectmen have had the chance to take a long look at the numbers.

Slavin said he only supports putting the budget on the warrant if there is a five or six-year plan delivered with the proposal at Town Meeting.

"To come back to the citizens of this town in two or three years and say we need more money is not going to fly," he said.

Finance Committee Chairman Larry McDonald agreed, a five year projection would be included with a budget proposal.

"It's not just an operational override, it's an override to fix the issues in this town, We need to pay attention to our capital, we need to build stability and we need to fix the way we do business," he said.

Selectman Patrick Tropeano said the town needed creative, out of the box thinking to solve the problem. "I don't want to see these little fixes I want to see it long term," he said.

James Giberti, chairman of the Capital Planning Committee came before the board to talk about capital spending as well as consolidations. He suggested the creation of a motor pool for all town vehicles and have all vehicle maintenance and plowing duties fall under the municipal maintenance department.

"For the first time in a long time there is a strong effort between the school and the general government side of town," Selectman Judith Whiteside said. "It is one tax bill and it is one town."