SUMNER – Despite concerns about the possible effect of the Palesky tax-cap initiative, selectmen set the town’s tax rate as low as possible at Tuesday’s meeting. Selectmen chose not to add an assessor’s overlay to the town’s budget, lowering the tax rate to $12.71 per $1,000, down from $13.45 last year.

With the maximum overlay of $30,000, the tax rate would have been $13.12. “It would be nice to have money in the bank” in case the tax cap passes, Selectman Tom Standard said. Selectman Mark Silber said he would like to keep the overlay “as small as possible.”

Town Clerk Susan Runes reported that the town is valued by the state at $45.7 million.

The next selectmen’s meeting, on Oct. 27, will begin with a one-hour public meeting to discuss the tax-cap initiative. Residents can pick up copies of the town’s 2004-05 budget in the town office if they would like to suggest areas in which the town can save money.

Resident Stephen Peters asked the board if any progress had been made on slowing traffic on Route 219. Administrative Assistant Cynthia Norton replied that she had not written any letters to the state Department of Transportation, as Peters requested at the board’s last meeting, as she has been busy with tax bills.

Silber suggested that project manager Richard Crawford and safety engineer Brian Kezar, both of state trasnsportation department, could be invited to meet with selectmen in December or January, after tax bills have been sent out. Road Commissioner Jim Keach will order “no engine breaking” signs to help reduce traffic noise through Sumner village.

Standard reported that although some bushes have been cut on the corner of Bonney Road and Trenoweth Road, Superintendent of Schools Rick Colpitts thinks more should be trimmed. Bus drivers have complained about poor visibility on the corner. Standard will visit the corner with Colpitts and district transportation director John Ackley.

Selectman Clifford McNeil offered to cut the trees himself if necessary. “If we need to clean the corner up,” he said, “let’s do it.”

Keach noted that the stop sign he recently installed on the corner has been made much more visible by the cutting the property owners have already done.