ATKINSON — Voters will debate 27 warrant articles and a $3.9 million budget when they meet at Atkinson Academy for the deliberative session Saturday.
The $484,666 worth of warrant articles range from $100 to make the director of elderly affairs a paid position to $80,000 to finish construction of the East Road Recreation Area.
There are two warrant articles related to the town's Elderly Affairs Department.
One article would raise $6,500 to fund a 2010 Subaru Forester for elderly affairs. The vehicle would cost almost $20,000, but the remainder of the money is coming from donations. It will be the fourth vehicle in the department's fleet.
The second article would be to pay Philip Consentino $100 per year as director of the department. Selectmen made Consentino a paid town employee in this position last month to resolve any liability issues. Consentino has been a volunteer director of the department for 16 years, but is paid as a part-time police chief.
Seven warrant articles are related to roadwork on eight town roads.
Road agent Ted Stewart said the proposed warrant articles represent half the work that the town would normally do. The total of the warrant articles is about $160,000. Last year, voters approved $134,000 of roadwork, Stewart said.
Although he would like to do more, he said, it doesn't make sense to ask to spend more money right now.
"I don't feel very comfortable pushing for more," he said.
The ballot also includes two non-monetary articles to accept Little River Lane and Little Rob Road Extension as town roads.
The $80,000 warrant article to continue the construction of the East Road recreation area would pay for a well and irrigation system for the playing fields, walking path and parking lot. If approved, the recreation area would be ready for use in the spring of 2011. This article is to finish the work that began in the fall. Voters approved a $45,000 warrant article at last year's Town Meeting to build the lacrosse and multipurpose field, but rejected a $25,000 warrant article for more work.
Some of the other warrant articles include $25,000 for a generator at Town Hall, $46,460 for mosquito control, $18,000 to build a room to house the cable TV computers, and $1,000 to televise Conservation Commission meetings and Kimball Library trustee meetings.
The meeting begins at 10 a.m. and will be held in Dyke Auditorium at Atkinson Academy.
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