PLAINVILLE - Voters tonight will take a key step toward setting Plainville's tax rate.

That is, if the special town meeting draws a quorum.

The 7 p.m. meeting at the Wood School on Route 106 needs 60 voters to happen, Selectmen Chairman Rob Rose said.

The meeting was scheduled for last Thursday - but only 43 people showed up.

Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes said the meeting shouldn't last longer than 30 minutes, but is vital to setting the town's tax rate. The major item on the agenda asks residents to transfer $108,498 from free cash to fund the current budget.

The transfer corrects an accounting error that will otherwise keep the town from setting the tax rate. The town currently has $548,842 in free cash.

Also, residents will vote on transferring $1,483.67 to pay a legal bill, transferring $2,000 from the fire department's expense account to its out-of-state travel expense account to cover expenses incurred by Chief Ted Joubert to attend grant-writing seminars, and transferring $8,500 for a refurbished thermal imager for the fire department.

New thermal imagers typically cost $12,000.

Jobs classification

Residents will also vote on an amendment to the personnel bylaw that would include a job classification of senior secretary.

Town officials say the change could potentially save Plainville money because it would not require the employee to work a minimum of 20 hours, whereas current classifications of similar skill level do.