WILTON – Selectmen agreed to put $5,000 toward marketing property on Weld Road when they met last week.

The decision came after officials met behind closed doors with the Wilton Development Corp., the Greater Franklin Development Corp. and Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments to discuss the offer.

Philips Van Heusen Corp. recently made an offer to the town for the old Bass Distribution Center for $1. The building is located next to the town office and houses an ICT in-bound call center. Since the offer was made, officials have been working on options for the building. The $5,000 appropriation will come from the Wilton Development Opportunity Fund and will support marketing efforts for a site developer to work toward the future development of the building.

In other business, selectmen continued their review of the proposed municipal budget. They plan to meet a third and final time Tuesday, April 20.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said using the figures they have from SAD 9 and the county, along with the proposed municipal budget, the total is $70,306 less than last year’s combined total. That represents 0.5 mill, which would lower the mill rate from 21.60 to about 21.10, he said. The town’s mill rate decreased from its highest rate in the past 9 years of 23.80 in the 1996-97 tax year to its lowest rate in 9 years of 20.40 in the 2001-02 budget year. It has remained at 21.60 for the past 2 years.

Selectmen set Monday, April 26, and Tuesday, April 27, as the dates they will meet with the town’s Finance Committee to get input and recommendations on the budget. The meetings will take place at 7 p.m. at the town office. The proposed budget will then go before voters during their annual town meeting in June.

Selectmen opened three bids for asphalt mulch. Nielsen will look over the bids and make sure they meet the town’s specifications. He will give his recommendation to selectmen at their next meeting.

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