WOODSTOCK – At a special meeting Friday, selectmen approved the 2007 municipal operating budget proposal submitted by Town Manager Vern Maxfield. It shows an increase of $56,000, from $1,054,000 last year to $1,110,000.

Maxfield said the major part of the increase results from additional road work planned for the summer.

“We also are looking to buy a new plow truck for $95,000, and our share of the G&W Transfer Station that is going up $30,000 in additional capital expenses. We do have a portion of the cost of the truck in our equipment account and by using some money from surplus to help defray taxes, we were able to keep the overall increase down quite a bit,” Maxfield said.

He said he expects the budget will increase the tax rate by 20 cents per $1,000 in valuation, going from the current $12.50 to $12.70.

Maxfield said the budget approved Friday for municipal operations only and does not include funds for SAD 44 or the Oxford County Budget. Those figures will not be available until later in the spring.

“We have added an estimated $30,000 to what we are hearing from school officials but we don’t have any idea as to what the county may do. We’re hoping, however, that it won’t show much of an increase,” he said.

Maxfield will prepare the 2006 annual report and plans to send it and the budget proposal to the printers on March 1.

The budget and other business issues will be voted on at the annual town meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 26, in the gymnasium at the Woodstock Elementary School on Rumford Avenue.


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