By Duane Hayes,Special to the Sun Journal

WOODSTOCK – A small gathering of voters attended a special town meeting Tuesday and approved funding to cover unanticipated expenses for the remainder of the calendar year.

The warrant had three major issues. Regarding the first, the voters approved accepting a gift of land in South Woodstock from Ellsworth and Joyce Hathaway. Voters also approved spending money to pay for the survey and legal fees for the transfer.

Town Manager Vern Maxfield said the money will come from the town’s grounds-care account, and adds 0.644 acres to the South Woodstock Cemetery, land that town officials feel will be needed in the future.

Selectmen Chairman Leon Poland said, “Adding the land to the cemetery squares up the back lines, which we have wanted to do for quite some time.”

Next, voters authorized the selectmen to appropriate $9,000 from surplus to fund unanticipated fuel costs for the remainder of the year to cover money already spent from the heating and equipment accounts. The need for more funds than were budgeted in March comes from the sudden increases in heating oil, gas and diesel prices.

Finally, $8,500 from surplus was approved for repairs to the highway department’s 1994 Ford plow truck. Maxfield said the truck’s motor is being rebuilt, which will include replacing all eight cylinder sleeves and replacing the cylinders themselves.

“As it is, the truck is unusable, and we will need it back in the fleet soon, as winter isn’t far away,” he said. The repair is being done by The Big Rig Shop in Oxford.

The meeting was moderated by local resident and Planning Board Chairman Norman Putnam.