Hooksett voters will give their yay or nay to 18 warrant articles to be presented at the deliberative session of Town Meeting on Saturday, April 4. The meeting starts at 1 p.m. at Cawley Middle School.

Once the wording of the articles is approved, a secret ballot vote will take place on May 12, along with the elections of town candidates. The filing period for those interested in running for town council and other offices ends Friday, April 3, at 5 p.m.

Here’s a rundown of the articles up for discussion: Article 3 – In order for Hooksett to receive federal stimulus package money, this article will need to be approved. It asks for $6,224,375 in bonds for construction, replacement and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant. If the article receives the necessary three-fifths majority vote, half would be paid by the state and the other half would be paid by the federal stimulus package funds. Should the federal money not come through, the article would be null and void.

Article 4 – This article asks for a town operating budget of $15,878,857. This amount is lower than the default budget number of $15,937,590.

“The budget being lower than default was the work of the Budget Committee, mostly from cuts in the Police Department,” said Town Councilor David Ross.

The Hooksett Police Commission’s request to the town was for a police budget of $4,192,073, said Chief Stephen Agrafiotis. The Town Council suggested $4,119,849 to fully fund 29 positions, which citizens had approved in 2004.

The Budget Committee recommended $3,913,308, decrease of $206,541 from council.

Should the recommended operating budget pass, said Agrafiotis, he can’t fund two positions that are currently open now anyway, so there would be no layoffs. He would also still have to make up $36,000 from other line items. If voters say no to the proposed budget, the Police Department would have a budget of $4,206,588.

Article 5 – A collective bargaining agreement between the town and the Hooksett Permanent Firefighters Association outlines increases for the next two years.

Article 6 – If Article 5 is defeated, approval of Article 6 would allow for a special meeting to reconsider the vote.

Article 7 – This article asks for $75,918 for salaries and raises for nonunion town personnel.

Article 8 – This article asks for $130,000 for the Town Building Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund. This does not raise taxes as it comes from the general fund balance.

Article 9 – In order to complete repairs to the northeast retaining wall at the corner of Martin’s Ferry Road and North River Road, this article asks for $64,000. This does not raise taxes, as the money would come from the general fund balance.

Article 10 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Town-Wide Computer Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 11 – This article asks for $40,000 to be placed in the Town Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 12 – This article asks for $10,000 to establish a capital reserve fund to update the town’s master plan.

Article 13 – This article asks for $34,000 to establish a capital reserve fund for a road impact fee traffic study.

Article 14 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Fire Cistern Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 15 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Parks and Recreation Facilities Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 16 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Emergency Radio Communications Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 17 – This article asks for $140,000 to purchase a plow dump truck for the Highway Department.

Article 18 – The Hooksett Public Library would hire a fulltime children’s librarian if this article is approved. It asks for $31,955 for six months’ worth of salary and benefits for the new librarian.

Article 19 – This article asks for $20,000 to be placed in the Fire Air Packs and Bottles Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 20 – This petitioned warrant article asks to take the franchise fees currently charged to Comcast customers in Hooksett and direct the money to establish and operate a public access television service for Hooksett instead of placing the money in the general fund.