In budgetary matters and in town development, the Town of Wareham is planning for the future.

That was the theme conveyed by Town Administrator Derek Sullivan during Town Meeting on Monday.

The town has slightly more than $3 million in “free cash” this year. That’s the money left unspent at the end of a budgetary year, combined with unanticipated increases in revenues. This year, Sullivan said, free cash was a result of town departments staying within their budgets or spending less than budgeted, and increases in funds received from motor vehicle excise tax and town licenses and permits.

Free cash varies from year to year and must be “certified,” or confirmed, by the state Department of Revenue before it can be spent.

In previous years, town officials had used a prediction of how much free cash would be available to balance future budgets. That became dangerous, as the state wouldn’t always find that the town had as much free cash as it had anticipated, which would prevent the town from setting its tax rate and cause budgetary issues.

Though difficult budgetary decisions are made when the town decides where and how to spend its limited funds, not relying on free cash for the town’s operating costs puts the town on more stable financial footing.

“It can be easy to go back to the old ways,” Sullivan told voters, “which resulted in over-inflated budgets and unsustainable practices.”

Now, free cash is used to fund purchases and other needs. On Monday, voters OK’d spending: $75,000 for technology upgrades and video surveillance; $205,000 for the purchase of a boom truck for Municipal Maintenance; $50,000 for LED (energy-saving) street lights; $25,000 to lease electric vehicles and install charging stations; $130,000 for police cruisers and a vehicle to transport prisoners; $30,000 for police equipment; $190,000 for an HVAC system, fixtures, furniture, technology, security, textbooks, and materials for the School Department; $160,000 for school buses.

Free cash is also used to beef up the town’s “stabilization fund,” which is like your “rainy day” savings account that you use when you have an unexpected home repair or vehicle emergency. On Monday, voters opted to put $620,000 into the fund, which boosted reserves to $3,086,582, which meets the state Department of Revenue guidelines for towns.

This financial planning has lifted the town’s bond rating to the highest it has been in many years. A better bond rating saves money in the long run, as officials can secure lower interest rates when borrowing. Also, Wareham no longer has to provide insurance for its bonds.

Voters also approved new contracts between eight unions that represent approximately 70 town employees. This, too, was an example of the town being proactive, Sullivan explained.

“Tonight we’re seeking funding union contracts that will be going into the future, not six years in arrears like we have in the past,” said Sullivan.

In planning for town development, residents streamlined a selection of zoning bylaws and approved two committees: one to study Wareham’s zoning bylaws as a whole and a Redevelopment Study Committee to consider the organization of the town’s Planning, Building, and Economic Development departments.