POLAND — The proposed 2013 budget for the town is available for public inspection at the Town Office and online, Town Manager Rosemary Kulow told selectmen Tuesday.

The proposal is comparable to the current year's budget, standing at a little more than $12 million.

Selectmen also learned through a communication from Androscoggin County commissioners that the town's tax assessment for the new year will be $670,081, compared to this year's assessment of $644,000.

Kulow also reminded selectmen they will be meeting with the town Budget Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 8, for the first joint review of the proposed budget.

The schedule calls for selectmen to be presented March 6 with draft warrant articles with spending recommendations for the town's fiscal year beginning July 1.

The annual town meeting, when voters will set the budget, will be held April 7.

Selectmen also agreed to hold a special workshop Wednesday, Feb. 16, to discuss proposals for health insurance coverage for town employees.

Selectman Larry Moreau noted that resident Carl Duchette had submitted a proposal this year and that, given the complexities of health insurance, the board needed a workshop to adequately evaluate the details of all proposals.

In other business, selectmen requested that Code Enforcement Officer Nick Adams carefully review the revised Federal Emergency Management Agency flood insurance rate maps, copies of which the town recently received.

“We need to keep on top of this. With all the lakes and wetlands we have in town, this could affect a lot of people,” Moreau said.

Kulow also told selectmen that she received a call from a parent concerned upon learning that some children were walking along the edge of Route 26 from the Poland Community School to the recreation program in the Town Hall building because a section of the sidewalk had not been plowed.

Selectman Lester Stevens recalled that board had decided to clear the sidewalk between the town office and Ricker Library but that the 200 feet, or so, of sidewalk between the school and the town office was not part of the deal.

Selectmen directed Kulow to make sure that for the remainder of the winter, sidewalks from the school to the Town Hall Building are navigable.