WOODSTOCK – Voters will be asked to raise more than $20,000 this summer to cover unexpected health insurance and construction costs, and equipment and fuel expenses.

Selectmen on Tuesday approved the warrant for a special town meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, in the meeting room at the town office in Bryant Pond village.

After electing a moderator, voters will decide on raising $3,843.24 more for health insurance coverage for full-time employees, $7,600 for completing the fire station addition, $3,000 for compressed air cylinders for the fire department, and $6,000 for the heating oil and diesel accounts. The $3,000 for cylinders will buy three to five depending on the style. New federal regulations do not allow air cylinders made in 1991 to be refilled, and the town has 14 of them.

Town Manager Vern Maxfield said the money requests stem from unforeseen increases since the town meeting last March.

Selectman Chairman Steve Bies said, “We have no choice because we need these items to meet our budget for the year.”

An article asking the town to raise and appropriate $8,000 to install flashing lights at the bottom of Merrifield Hill on Route 26 was set aside to be considered at the regular town meeting next March.

“This should not be taken up at a special town meeting where we probably won’t get more than 25 people voting, while at the regular meeting next March we are most likely going to have 125,” Selectman Leon Poland said. “At that time more people will have a chance to give their input about the lights and more people will be here to vote.”

Asked if there was any reason the lights needed to be installed right now Maxfield said, “I can’t think of any. It can wait, and if the people vote to have them installed they can be put in next spring.”

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