IPSWICH — It's a rare selectmen's meeting that attracts an audience of more than a few people. When one does, the folks are usually there to gripe about something.

So it's notable that a score of people showed up for Monday's presentation on another proposal to build a wind turbine generator on Town Farm Road. It was essentially a reprise of the introduction to the project the School Committee took in early this month.

Utilities Director Tim Henry and Electric Light Subcommittee member Jim Engel weren't there to ask for anything more than a consensus that the board favored further exploration, which they got.

The generator would be built and operated by the Light Department, which would also provide most of the money. However, the School Department has the opportunity to obtain an interest-free, $1.6 million bond that would make the project more affordable for the Light Department.

Engel characterized the schools as investors in the project whose payback would be in the form of lower electric bills. The Light Department would benefit by selling excess electrical capacity to the grid.

Like the School Committee, the selectmen expressed their support and got a round of applause from the audience for their effort.

There was far less unanimity on another issue on Monday's agenda. The YMCA of the North Shore requested the board sign a letter of support for the Y's affordable-housing project on County Road.

The Y is about to apply for money and wanted some encouraging words passed along to the Division of Housing and Community Development.

Selectman Ed Rauscher was the first to demure, followed by fellow board member Jim Foley. Rauscher made a motion that the board not sign the letter, which follows an earlier decision by the board not to withdraw approval it gave when the project first surfaced.

"Not withdrawing support is different than supporting it," Rauscher said. "I suggest we decline to endorse the project."

Rauscher went on to say that following a vote of Town Meeting last spring, an ad hoc committee had met with Y representatives to try to get the scale of the project diminished.

Since that didn't happen, Rauscher said he didn't think the board should signal its satisfaction with the project.

Selectman Pat McNally disagreed.

"I have no doubt this project will happen with or without this letter," McNally said. He went on to say he thought it best the Y get "every penny" it can and make the project as good as it can be.

Selectman Ingrid Miles agreed.

"I'm very concerned about the message we send," she said. "This is not the body for this dispute at this time." She said she was afraid not lending support would undermine town boards that worked hard to get the project permitted.

Rauscher's motion was defeated 3-2, with Foley joining Rauscher in the minority. A motion to sign the letter was approved, with Miles, McNally and Chairwoman Elizabeth Kilcoyne voting yes.

Comedy central

Maybe there was some laughing gas slipping through the ventilation system, but board members were in a particularly jocular mood Monday night.

It started right after the opening Pledge of Allegiance. Kilcoyne noted it was St. Patrick's Day and also that the board had a lot more than corned beef and cabbage on its plate.

"It's going to be a very busy night," she said. "There will be no singing and dancing here."

Seconds later, she was distracted by a sotto voce exchange between McNally and Foley, who occupy adjoining seats.

"We thought we'd break into 'Oh Danny Boy,'" Foley said brightly.

Later, Town Manager Bob Markel was reprising a letter sent to him, and Miles noted his name was spelled wrong. Markel said he was used to it, it happened all the time.

"I'm just pleased they don't address me as (former Town Manager) George Howe," Markel said.

"So's he," McNally quipped.