DURHAM – If the Palesky tax cap referendum passes in statewide balloting Nov. 2, Durham faces an estimated $1.3 million shortfall, according to figures prepared by the town’s administrative assistant, John White.

White told selectmen Tuesday night that his estimate was based on an analysis performed by the Maine Municipal Association, available on its Web site. The referendum caps property taxes at $10 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Selectmen had no quick solutions. Chairman Wesley Bennett said the roads still had to be plowed and schools kept open.

In response to several complaints about the lack of a blinking light at Quaker Meetinghouse Road and Route 125, selectmen were told the state has no plans to reinstall the blinking traffic light. Brian Keezer, Region 3 traffic engineer with the Maine Department of Transportation, said the state spent $461,000 to reconstruct the intersection “to fix and improve it.” He said state officials think it’s a good intersection.

He conceded it was “not a perfect intersection, there’s got to be accidents there, it’s a high volume intersection. Give it some time, a couple of years, and in two or three years, if we still see issues, we’ll look at a beacon,” he said.

“We’re willing to put in additional signing, paint stop bars, add stop ahead’ signs,” he added.

Bennett said the “main thing we’re interested in is the safety of our people.”

“You’re telling us in a nice way, the state isn’t going to put that light back,” Bennett said.

“No, we will if the town insists and bears the cost,” Keezer replied.

Road Commissioner Clifton Larrabee Sr. said he has received calls from people “worried about the safety issue” and asking when the light will be put back.

“I’ve had a lot of complaints,” he said.

Selectmen decided to table a decision on whether to request that the light be put back for “a couple weeks.”

“Maybe it needs a setting-in period, so to speak,” for people to get used to the change, Selectman Daryl Pratt said.

In other action, town Emergency Management Agency Director Deborah Larrabee was given the OK to meet with EMA directors in Pownal, Freeport, Lisbon and New Gloucester and possibly Brunswick, to consider setting up mutual aid agreements. Any proposed agreements would be brought back to the Board of Selectmen for approval, she said. She was also given permission to hold a fund-raiser for the Christmas Giving Tree project.

Larrabee reported that he anticipates that the Shiloh Road bridge replacement will be completed and open in time for the start of school. Guardrails will not be installed for two to three weeks after that, but barrels will be in place until they are, he said. In an update on the Swamp Road, Larrabee said 17 new culverts have been installed and that grinding pavement and paving will begin next week.