WILTON – Town Manager Peter Nielsen told Selectmen during their Tuesday meeting that attempts are being made to “keep some activity” at the G.H. Bass distribution center here. It’s scheduled to close early this year.

The 127-year-old Bass company began closing plants in the 1980s. In 1998, owner Phillips-Van Heusen of New York closed the 350-person Bass manufacturing plant in Wilton, but kept the distribution plant operating.

Production was moved to Puerto Rico, where the company could obtain labor at a cheaper rate.

The old G.H. Bass building, now owned by entrepreneur Randy Cousineau, has since been occupied by several other businesses.

Phillips-Van Heusen reached a licensing agreement late last year that gives Brown Shoe Co. of St. Louis the rights to design and market the Bass brand in wholesale markets. The last Bass headquarters in Maine, located in South Portland, will also be closed.

The new owners are planning to meet Jan. 19 to discuss plans for the Wilton building .

The move will affect 74 employees, Nielsen said. He said the town has received offers of assistance for the employees from Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Maine Republicans, and Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, as well as the state CareerCenter’s rapid response team. Nielsen said it is expected to be April before any employees will be leaving their jobs there.

A town employee is leaving his job right off, though.

Fire Chief Fred Hyde told selectmen he is resigning effective immediately. Hyde said he was leaving the position due to “personal problems I’d rather not get into.” Hyde presented officials with a written resignation, which they accepted.

Selectmen Norman Gould motioned to accept the resignation “with regret,” but officials offered no further recognition or word of thanks to Hyde for his years of service.

On unrelated issues, Nielsen told selectmen that a group called “Taxpayers for a Fair Budget,” an affiliate of the Maine Citizen Leadership Fund, is asking towns for support of a resolution calling for a 1 percent increase in the state sales tax to generate property tax relief. Officials decided to determine the response of other towns before making a decision.

Nielsen also told selectmen that the town’s new police cruiser hit a snow plow truck on Dec. 16. He said the officer was distracted and received a reprimand, which was placed in his personnel file. Damage to the cruiser was repaired at a cost of $3,700.