After two consecutive years of trimming the operating budget on the Town Meeting floor, Bow residents will be asked to approve a budget lower than last year’s during the upcoming vote.

On Wednesday, May 13, at 7 p.m., at Bow High School, voters will be asked to approve several key items, including a budget of about $8 million.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Leon Kenison believes the recommended budget is within reason, given the current financial climate.

“We’ve had budget reductions over the last few years, so I think it’s in tune with that philosophy,” said Kenison. “We’re also looking at the state of the economy. We are trying 1to provide some modest tax relief.”

As Hopkinton’s Town Administrator, Kenison has also had experience with Article 5, a pay-as-you-throw program that was narrowly defeated recently during Hopkinton’s Town Meeting.

“There’s a slight difference, although the principles are the same,” Kenison said. “Hopkinton doesn’t have municipal pick-up of trash, Bow does. It motivates people to throw out less and recycle to the max while also saving the town some money.”

Article 6 asks voters to approve a 2.25 percent increase, about $73,000, for a cost-of-living increase wage adjustment for town employees; and Article 7 looks for $350,000 for road paving, an area that has suffered during recent budget cuts.

The Public Works Department will receive a new truck with a utility body and a plow if Article 18 is approved, a sum of $35,000 that would be withdrawn from the Public Works Department Equipment Capital Reserve Fund.

A three-fifths majority vote will be required if residents want to approve Article 3, which was submitted by petition. The article asks voters to approve a new format of town meeting, the official ballot voting known as SB-2.

With a variety of topics on the agenda for the meeting, the budget will likely be a hot topic again this year.

Kenison said if the budget is once again trimmed this year, the cuts will be more difficult to make.

“If somebody can convince the voters that other cuts are necessary, we have proven we can find where to make the cuts,” said Kenison. “It isn’t a good way to go about it. We’ve gone through this two times, and I am sure the third time we will be losing bodies and programs.”