$1.4M debt exclusion for library on warrant.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Bruce Baker

DUDLEY - Voters at the special and annual town meetings Monday will be asked to act on a proposed $12.3 million budget for town services and schools for fiscal 2008 and a $1.4 million debt exclusion question for the library.

The special town meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Shepherd Hill Regional High School and will deal with routine transfers and the library issue. If approved, the debt exclusion question would authorize the funds to relocate, modernize and expand the Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library to the former Town Hall at 40 Schofield Ave.

Voters at the annual town election May 8 voted in favor of the debt exclusion, 948-684. According to library officials, the total project cost is $6.7 million. The effort has received a $2 million pledge from Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Crawford, and approval for $2.3 million in state funds from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The library committee is also conducting a $1 million fund raising drive.

The annual town meeting will start at 7 p.m.

According to Town Administrator Peter M. Jankowski, a budget breakdown shows $6.3 million for municipal services, an increase of $55,000, while $5.57 million is earmarked for schools, an increase of $205,686. The Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High...