DEERFIELD — After falling short the first time, residents on Tuesday signaled their support at the ballot box in authorizing up to $5 million in borrowing for road repairs.

After a close rejection in December, voters at a special Town Election approved a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion by a vote of 555-458. This will pay for more than $2 million in already completed road repairs, while also providing flexibility in addressing unanticipated repairs and additional costs for long-term work on River Road. Voter turnout was roughly 25.6%, with 1,013 of the town’s 3,983 registered voters casting ballots.

Select Board Chair Carolyn Shores Ness said the approval means the town will avoid cutting any services in the current fiscal year — the board already voted to not maintain sidewalks this winter — and it can move on from last year’s damage.

“We’re excited that we can move on and continue with planned repairs,” Shores Ness said by phone Wednesday. “We’re starting our regular budget process and the good news is we don’t have to make any cuts from our current budget.”

According to a press release from the town, Deerfield has approval from the state for up to $4.7 million in deficit spending. The town is required to pay back the amount it has spent by the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

Shores Ness emphasized the borrowing authority, barring any unforeseen catastrophic weather events, will be rescinded at the annual Town Meeting in the spring, once officials analyze the free cash and stabilization accounts and determine how much state aid will be received.

“With minimal winter impacts, we should be moving ahead … We’ll have a final number to rescind on Town Meeting floor,” Shores Ness said. “It’s just a relief to move forward.”

In a public forum held last week, Police Chief and Emergency Management Director John Paciorek Jr. said that the town’s $5 million estimate was an initial projection and repairs should end up closer to $3 million. State law requires the election ballot language matches the special Town Meeting warrant language.

“There is no intent to spend $5 million. The $5 million came from my original budget and storm damage estimate,” Paciorek said Jan. 9.

State law allowed the town to hold another election following the first one, as debt-exclusion votes must be approved within 90 days from Town Meeting approval — where the authorization was overwhelmingly supported by more than 200 voters.

Tuesday’s second vote follows the narrow rejection by just four votes on Dec. 5 — 195 to 191 — in an election that featured only 9.8% turnout. In the subsequent Select Board meetings, all three board members said the low turnout made them feel they had failed to communicate the importance of the election to residents.

In response to the low turnout, the board scheduled a Jan. 9 information session in an effort to better convey information to residents, while also providing an opportunity for Paciorek and Highway Superintendent Kevin Scarborough to speak in an open forum.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.