Baltimore County police and firefighters were hoping last night to celebrate approval of a ballot question that would allow contract disputes with county officials to be settled by a third-party arbitrator - a process called binding arbitration.

With 25 of 208 precincts reporting, voters appeared to support the measure. "We're encouraged by the numbers," said Cole B. Weston, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4.

Binding arbitration was among several proposed amendments to the county charter, including one that would establish a commission to redraw County Council district lines and another that would require council confirmation of department head appointments. Those amendments also appeared headed for approval last night.

Early returns showed voters backing questions that would allow the county to issue up to $199,789,000 in municipal bonds to pay for a variety of projects, including the renovation of several middle schools, construction of a library and a community college branch in Owings Mills, watershed restoration and community revitalization programs.

Police and firefighter unions in Baltimore County petitioned to get the binding arbitration measure on the ballot, an effort that attracted the attention of other unions throughout the state. The issue was also on the ballot in Anne Arundel County.