DURHAM – Although Selectmen, looking to cut costs, recommended against it, voters went along with a Budget Committee recommendation at town meeting Saturday and raised $2,050 for three social service agencies.

It was decided not to add money to the transfer station reserve account this year until it can be determined if there is a suitable location within the town to locate such a facility, as recommended by both Selectmen and budget negotiators.

It was voted to spend $339,012 for winter roads and $100,000 for the Shiloh Road bridge project.

Appropriated was $25,000, the town’s share of a federal grant, to purchase a new fire truck at a cost of $250,000; $188,314 was raised for the Durham Fire and Rescue Service; $3,000 for the ambulance service contract with Northeast; and a total of $40,736 was transferred from the capital improvement and unappropriated fund accounts for this year’s loan payment on the fire station. A scant $1,000 was raised for general assistance, the same as last year. Just $865.50 was spent last year.

After adopting amendments to the 2002 Comprehensive Plan, voters accepted amendments to the land use and subdivision ordinances; and adopted a growth management and establishment of districts ordinance, which will align town ordinances with the Comprehensive Plan as required by the state.

Voters also gave their nod of approval for the School Committee to explore the formation of a Community School District with the town of Lisbon for the purpose of building and jointly owning a new high school. Lisbon and Durham are now in the two-town school Union 30, and share the cost of a superintendent, but each town operates and funds its own schools independently.

Budget Committee Chairman Allan Purinton estimated that the tax rate would probably increase by 5 percent, to $19.55 per $1,000 valuation. Last year’s rate was $18.60. Net amounts to be raised in local tax dollars after revenues, will be $557,086 for town operations and $2,756,106 for schools, Purinton said.