MINOT – Town Administrator Gregory Gill hit the ground running on his first official day of work Monday by acquainting selectmen with the details of a grant application to help pay for the new well at the Minot Consolidated School.

The old well failed in December causing the school to close down for the winter holidays about a week earlier than intended. Local well driller Skip Hodgdon was brought in and his company managed to get a new well producing in time for school to open on schedule in January. The new well is delivering nearly 30 gallons of water per minute.

While the total cost of the well is somewhat over $20,000, the town has received preliminary approval for $10,000 through a Community Development Block Grant urgent need program.

Gill credited Minot Consolidated School Principal Don Bilodeau for his work with Margo Fraser of the state Department of Economic and Community Development to secure the grant, leaving him only the task of completing the required paperwork.

Townspeople will be asked to approve the grant application at March town meeting and, as part of the process, selectmen also posted a public hearing on the well grant to be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the town office.

On the matter of setting public meetings, selectmen also announced they will hold a public hearing on the two referendum issues set for the March 5 ballot.

The referendum questions will ask voters if they’ll support a proposed performing arts center addition at the Minot Consolidated School and for changes in the town’s noise ordinance.

The public hearing will also discuss other changes to the town’s ordinance, with proposed revisions to the minimum street requirements for town acceptance being the most significant.

Road Manager Arlan Saunders told selectmen that preliminary word from Federal Emergency Management Agency officials indicates the town could potentially receive about $9,000 reimbursement for expenses incurred during the Dec. 6 and 7 snowstorm.

Saunders also reported he has yet to receive Maine Department of Transportation’s written report on the Old Woodman Hill Road sign issue. He noted, however, that the only comment he has received regarding the town’s plans to curtail access onto Minot Avenue (Route 121) from Old Woodman Hill Road came from a resident who is of the opinion that the town should have taken that action years ago.

Selectman Dean Campbell said he had received a request for a traffic speed study on the lower section of Woodman Hill Road (Route 119).

In other business, Gill told selectmen he will be meeting with representatives from Adelphia, the town’s cable TV provider, next week to discuss a number of service complaints. He said any residents with specific concerns they would like addressed should call him at the town office at 345-3305.