Town meeting last night voted to spend $950,000 for an aerial platform ladder truck for the Fire Department and also to spend $500,000 on 28.5 acres of agricultural land to keep it from development.

In a near-unanimous vote, town meeting approved two separate articles to purchase agricultural land in order to preserve open space and help maintain the rural character of the town, including one parcel that abuts the site of the proposed casino resort.

Article 30, which passed unanimously, sought $244,000 to purchase 12.20 acres owned by Richard D. Gibbs and Judith L. Gibbs located off Thompson Street near the proposed casino site.

As town meeting watched a slide show of scenic photos of the farms and historic homes along the Gibbs property, Town Planner Ruth M. Geoffroy noted it was the site of the “only remaining active dairy farm in the town. It’s time for the town to decide what agricultural and natural resources are important,” Geoffroy said.

By purchasing the land, which abuts the casino site along Plympton and Precinct Streets, Geoffroy said it would, “stop construction in the casino area.”

Article 31 sought $225,000 to purchase 16.30 acres of agricultural land owned by Dorothy M. Freitas on Vaughn Street. The article, which passed 186 to 2, also allows Freitas to maintain ownership and upkeep of an historic 1762 house on two acres of land on the site.

The land is situated north of the Assawompset Pond and is adjacent to the Nemasket River and is habitat to endangered turtles.

The town partnered with the Nature Conservancy to purchase the Freitas property which has a conservation and historical preservation restriction. The total purchase price of the property was $475,000 with the town paying $225,000 and the Nature Conservancy $250,000.

Two weeks ago, the town finalized an out-of-court settlement on the purchase of the Freitas property. Since both the Gibbs and Freitas parcels are classified as agricultural land, the town had the first option to purchase the land once it was sold.

In other action, town meeting voted unanimously to spend $950,000 for an aerial platform ladder truck for the Fire Department to replace a 19-year-old ladder truck that has been out of commission for a year.

Police Chief Gary Russell, who is also acting fire chief, said the town depends on mutual aide if a ladder truck is needed.

The town has 127 buildings which are three stories or higher in a one quarter mile radius which would require the use of a ladder truck in a fire, explained Russell.

The truck has a platform at the end of the ladder which expedites rescue, said Russell.