$7.2M budget proposal includes planner.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: J.P. Ellery

WARREN - A proposed fiscal 2008 budget of $7.2 million and a request to hire a town planner are two key items coming before voters Tuesday at the annual town meeting.

The yearly budget session begins at 7 p.m. in Warren Community Elementary School on South Street. It contains 36 requests, preceded by a special town meeting at 6:30 p.m. with nine items to consider.

The planned fiscal 2008 operating budget of $7,241,301, which takes effect July 1, is down from the current town budget of $7,273,144. The overall budget stabilization is made possible by the voters' decision last year to join the Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical School District, according to Jean T. McCaughey, administrative secretary. That move, she said, has resulted in savings that offsets the increase in the fiscal 2008 Quaboag Regional School District budget.

Former Selectman Donald G. Nickerson has been pushing to spend $42,000 to hire a town planner and provide $2,000 in an expense account.

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