MECHANIC FALLS - The town council Tuesday night voted to accept an offer from trustees of the Congregational Church to donate their building at 64 Elm St. to the town to provide space for the Mechanic Falls Historical Society.

A month ago, society President Eriks Petersons approached the council to say the church was disbanding Jan. 1 and trustees needed to know by Oct. 1 whether the town would accept ownership. The council directed Town Manager John Hawley to inspect the building and find out what the yearly operating costs might be.

"The building is in remarkably good condition for its age," Hawley reported.

The upstairs of the 1840 building is handicapped accessible and, Hawley said, minor changes, and interior ramp, will allow handicapped access to the downstairs.

Hawley said operating expenses such as heat, utilities and insurance currently run between $4,000 and $4,500 per year, "not out of reach."

Hawley noted that offers of financial support are already coming in from the community. Ken Carlin has pledged $1,000 and Jean Williams, the church member in attendance, said she was aware of pledges sufficient to keep the building operational for a year or two.

Petersons stressed his intent that the building be self sustaining under the historical society's management.

He said he envisioned the upstairs being used for the display and storage of historical artifacts and the downstairs hall, outfitted with kitchen facilities, as offering a range of possibilities for community use.

Petersons said one of the first things he will do is send a letter to the community, soliciting ideas for what the building, as a community center, might offer.

Hawley's next step is to make arrangements with church trustees to get the paperwork for a transfer of ownership in order.

After a public hearing, the council adopted amendments to the town's sign ordinance, as recommended by the Planning Board, that allow lighted electronic scrolling messages on signs. The amendments allow the ordinance to keep abreast of technological developments in signs in common use by area banks.

After a second public hearing, the council approved a Planning Board-recommended zoning change on Route 26.

A 500-foot wide, 3,000-foot long strip along Route 26, beginning near Eggcettera's restaurant and continuing north, was changed from a rural district to highway commercial.

The council also directed Hawley, when he goes to the Sept. 10 Androscoggin County Dispatch consolidation meeting, to vote for the plan that allows for two dispatch centers in the county, with Mechanic Falls police and fire calls handled by the dispatch center at the sheriff's office in Auburn.

At a special town meeting, held prior to the council meeting, about 20 residents approved the use of $38,110 from the balance to replace funds from the Elm Street School capital improvement fund. The money was spent in June to replace an underground fuel storage tank that had developed an inner wall leak.