WOODSTOCK – A special town meeting is planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, to deal with articles on converting the town’s former fire station on Railroad Street to a Recreation and Community Activity Center, and using $12,000 from the tree growth account to aid in the construction of an addition to the current fire station.

The special meeting plan and warrant was approved unanimously Tuesday by Selectmen, who say they realize the two projects need to be under way as soon as possible with winter is not far away.

Following election of a moderator for the meeting, the other four articles ask:

Article 2. If the vote taken on article 2 at the special town meeting of Wednesday, Sept. 16, to allow the old fire station on Railroad Street to be used as a town owned Recreation and Community Activity Center, should be ratified.

Article 3. Shall the town vote to purchase the property that abuts the old fire station building for the sum of $8,300?

Article 4. Shall the town vote to renovate the old fire station into a Recreation and Community Activity Center?

Article 5. Shall the town vote to appropriate $12,000 from the tree growth account to assist in funding the construction of the new fire station at the Town Office Complex?

As an addendum to the warrant it is stated that any funds left over from the renovation of the old fire station will be returned to the tree growth account.

According to Town Manager Vern Maxfield the vote to ratify vote taken at the September 16 meeting is needed to release the donations received for the old fire station project. That donation totaled $20,000 and some additional donations are still coming in.

The rest of the warrant articles clear the way for both the Recreation and Community Activity Center and new fire station projects to get under way.

The special meeting will be held in the conference room at the town office.

The selectmen also voted to accept a bid of $4.75 per cubic yard from R.E. Tibbetts of Wilton for the winter sand/salt stockpile project.

The yardage being ordered is 3,000 yards with a total for the sand, hauling, mixing and stockpiling in the town shed coming in at $14,250.

The price was noted by the selectmen as being $2,100 higher than the $12,150 paid last year, but they felt the price is in line with such projects at today’s market prices.

In other business, the board approved the nomination of Robert Lauro as part-time highway employee for the coming winter.

Lauro is an experienced plow driver having spent 28 years working for the highway department in Hempstead, N.Y., on Long Island. He moved to Woodstock about a year ago and is interested in providing his services to the town this winter when needed to operate a plow and sand truck for Road Foreman Randy Eastman.

The selectmen were impressed with his record in Hempstead and with the fact that he holds a Class A license making him eligible to operate all of the town’s heavy equipment. Because of this fact, they voted unanimously to place him on the payroll for the winter, and he stated he is available at any time he is needed.

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