HARTFORD – Selectmen met Thursday in the freshly polished and waxed Town Hall that will be the site of the annual town meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday.

After the hall was groomed all week, the selectmen spent Thursday night polishing the warrant. The town will be asked to approve a budget for 2004-05 of $1,256,783, which is a 5 percent increase over last year’s budget. They voted to amend Article 35 to include the words “and/or road preparation” rather than just paving. The money to be raised on this article is $70,000.

Terry Hayes, chairman of the SAD 39 School Committee, reported that there will be an increase of $21,000 in the school budget this year even after cutting staff. She said 70 percent of the school budget goes for salaries and benefits to staff and, although they had cut everything they could, the budget did go up. Hayes urged all citizens to attend the district school budget meeting on June 15 and approve the budget so the committee would not have to start all over again. She also said she appreciated the support from selectmen who served on budget advisory committees.

Selectman Scott Swain said he had no problem with the school having to follow special education mandates from the state, which resulted in the slight increase. Hayes said that though the two fifth-grade classes will have 21 and 22 students next year, this is still close to the average number for the state.

Swain reported they will be taping the meeting on Saturday for the first time so they may have a permanent record. Selectman Lee Holman said there would be lunch served at a reasonable price.

In other business:

• The board voted to replace the flag over the Town Office and purchase a sensor light to shine on the flag at night.

• Deputy Clerk Lianne Bedard has resigned and selectmen are actively seeking a replacement.

• Police have been contacted and will be watching for speeders on Main Street as there have been complaints.

• Animal Control Officer Lianne Bedard reported she had issued a summons to an owner of dogs after two complaints had been filed.

• The funds from the Federal Emergency Management Administration have been received to help pay the cost of repairs to roads during the flood in December.