GRANVILLE — Residents of Granville will assemble in the town hall for one of the latest community gatherings on Town Meeting Day.

As usual, the annual meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the historic Route 100 office building.

One of the most important items up for discussion will be town spending, with a warned town budget of $478,948, which is a hike of $58,128, or 13.8%, over last year.

According to the proposed budget in the town report, the culprit for the steep rise is not municipal spending, which is going up just 2.9% to $229,240. But highway spending is budgeted to jump 26.8% to $249,708. Increased gasoline and sand prices account for almost half of that increase. A $35,000 increase in the cost of trucking for summer road maintenance is the other big driver.

The selectboard said in its report that it has received concerns over the viability of the Granville Volunteer Fire Department. Those concerns have centered around low number of volunteers, incomplete or untimely financial reports, and roadworthiness of firefighting vehicles.

“The selectboard believes it is time to take a different approach to ensure our town has continued, reliable access to reliable emergency and fire service.”

To begin the discussion on the fire service, people at town meeting will discuss a warned question asking shall the town return management of the fire department — both financially and operationally — to the town.

In December the town was award a Congressional earmark of $488,000 to fund the renovation of the Granville Fire Department building, and improve its water and wastewater systems. That can’t hurt.

Tuesday’s meeting may include a little discussion on the ongoing renovation of the town hall.

Town Constable Mark Belisle, who has been on the job for 30 years, reports that in the past year the new radar has been paid off and he has upgraded his taser to newer model for the same cost as the old one.

Elections to eight town offices will be held. Two seat on the selectboard will be up election: a three-year seat currently held by Ken Beattie, and the final two years of a seat that will end in 2028.