$340,000 for school tech on ballot.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Debbie LaPlaca

CHARLTON - Voters will decide three contested races and a $340,000 ballot question at the annual town election set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Heritage School, 34 Oxford Road.

Selectman Scott D. Brown is running unopposed to retain Seat 4 on the board, while Seat 5-incumbent Kathleen W. Walker is challenged by Sandra Dam, a water-sewer commissioner.

As town clerk since 1994, Susan Nichols is facing competition for the first time from Lawrence Gilligan of Muggett Hill Road.

What was a three-way race for two seats on the Water-Sewer Commission changed when Stephen Zeveska of Old Muggett Hill Road withdrew his name. On the ticket for the two open seats are incumbent Cheryl McKissick and newcomer Robert F. Lemansky of Sunset Drive. Commissioner James McIntire is moving out of town and will not seek re-election.

Board of Health member Barbara A. Dean will face James J. Millet of Richardson Corner Road to retain her three-year seat.

Question 1 on the ballot seeks voter approval to assess an additional $340,000 in taxes to fund a technology update for the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District.

Selectmen and the Finance Committee unanimously agreed to place the capital outlay exclusion before voters to reduce the $340,880 gap between the district's assessment and what the town has budgeted for the schools.

Superintendent of Schools Sean M. Gilrein has reported that the last five difficult budget years has shortchanged students, who use eight-year-old computers that cannot run today's software.

Director of Assessing Deborah A. Ceccarini said yesterday that if the exclusion passes by a majority vote, taxpayers will be assessed an additional 22 cents for every $1,000 of their property value, from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. The increase would total $66 for a home...