Ballots are stacked and election officials are ready for what they hope is a record turnout of voters making some important decisions in town and school matters.

Election Day is Tuesday, March 11, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Bedford High School.

In addition to electing two town councilors, two School Board members, a new town clerk and a town moderator, up for vote are two road bonds and charter amendments on the town side, and $445,000 for an emergency access road on the school ballot.

Town
Article 3 on the town ballot asks voters to amend six sections of the Town Charter to clarify and ensure consistency for affirmative votes of five town councilors.

Article 4 is the Town Council and School Board’s recommended long-term debt of $8 million to cover the cost of $3 million for improvements to the Nashua Road/Route 101 intersection and about $5 million to repair town roads.

Article 5, submitted by citizen petition, seeks $12 million to repair town roads only. More than 40 residents signed the petition stating town money should be spent on repairing town roads and demanding that the state take responsibility for fixing traffic issues along Route 101.

The article needs a two-thirds vote to be approved.

This year’s zoning ballot contains housekeeping articles to clarify or add language to town ordinances.

School
Article 2, seeks $445,000 to purchase 1.3 acres of land abutting the middle/high school and to construct an emergency access road off Chestnut Drive to ease trffic and safety issues near the school site. Of that amount, a reserve fund of $275,000 would go toward the land purchase and $170,000 would come from taxation.

Article 9 asks voters to approve a $55 million operating budget for schools. If this article fails, the district would operate under a default budget of $54.3 million, approved by voters last year. If approved, the $55 million operating budget for 2008- 08 would mean a 2.6 percent increase in the school tax rate.

Also on the school ballot are six articles pertaining to salary increases for teachers, staff and custodians to fulfill contracts.

And, a housekeeping article allowing the School Board to accept gifts, legacies and properties on behalf of the district.