By Kerri Pepoy,Staff Writer

WOODSTOCK – Residents will be asked to raise and appropriate higher amounts this year for town roads, the Fire Department and other expenses at the annual town meeting on Monday.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock School on Rumford Avenue.

Voters will consider a total of 49 articles on the warrant.

Article 20 asks voters to raise and appropriate $350,000 for the town road accounts, versus $270,000 in 2005. In addition, $14,000 is being requested for grounds care and roadside spring water testing, higher than the $10,500 that was raised and appropriated last year.

Town officials are requesting $38,000 this year to fund the Fire Department versus $30,000 in 2005.

Among new spending items, voters are being asked to raise and appropriate $14,000 from taxes to install a new hot-water heating system at the town garage, $10,000 from taxes to construct a handicap accessible bathroom at the Fire Department, and $5,000 to continue repairing the retaining walls at the Lakeside Cemetery.

Several spending requests remain the same from last year, including $16,000 for the assessor’s account, $15,000 for the firetruck reserve account, and $116,000 for the town’s share of operational expenses of the G&W Recycling Center and Stump Dump.

Residents will be asked to raise and appropriate $2,000 to assist Woodstock students in furthering their education and to award $400 to graduating seniors instead of the $200 the town has been awarding.

Elections will be held for a selectman and a SAD 44 board director, both for three-year terms.

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