Overrides sought at town meeting; Schools, DPW request funding.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Paula J. Owen

ASHBURNHAM - Voters will consider Proposition 2-1/2 tax increases at town meeting tomorrow and decide on a $14 million town operating budget for next fiscal year.

The special and annual town meetings start at 10 a.m. in the upstairs of the Town Hall, 32 Main St.

The town's $14 million operating budget includes the following department requests: $1.2 million for police, $533,000 for fire, $645,000 for the Department of Public Works and $194,000 for the library. Pushing up the total budget is $983,000 for the town's debt service and $1 million for town employees' insurance benefits.

For the schools, the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District is requesting $6.5 million from Ashburnham, and the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School is requesting $332,000.

Additionally, the regional school district is seeking approval of an override request over the 2-1/2 percent tax cap limit for $264,000.

Another article submitted by the DPW seeks a debt exclusion for $1.8 million for road improvements - a steep decrease from last year's $10 million comprehensive road improvement plan request, which voters rejected.

If any of the Proposition 2-1/2 requests pass, voters must still approve them in a special election.

The DPW is also asking voters to authorize the town to move forward in applying for $500,000 in funding for the reconstruction of Rindge Turnpike Road, which is in extremely poor condition. The grant being sought is given to small communities and no match is required by the town.

There is also an article requesting $40,000 to inspect...