By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer

BETHEL – Town Manager Scott Cole has a new contract, his third since being hired by Bethel in 1999.

Selectman Reggie Brown said Wednesday night that the board voted 5-0 to approve a four-year contract.

Brown said selectmen fine-tuned the document during an executive session Tuesday night, essentially, “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”

Cole’s current four-year contract ends in June. According to the new contract, he is to receive his current pay of $72,000 a year for the first two years.

But in the third and fourth year, he is to receive a $5,000 raise annually, Brown said.

Cole’s first contract lasted for two years.

In other business, selectmen authorized execution of agreements related to a 2005 Bethel Regional Airport aircraft apron expansion.

At their meeting two weeks ago, officials balked at authorizing the airport pact.

Regarding that meeting, Brown said the board was concerned about the source of the funding to cover $85,000 of firm Dufresne-Henry’s $170,693 total fee for aviation engineering services.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, selectmen learned that the Bethel Airport Authority has enough money in its undesignated fund balance to cover the engineering design costs.

“We also learned that we would be issued a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, so there’s no problem now,” Brown said.

That grant is for $450,000 under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Improvement Program.

Selectmen also approved a liquor license application for the Funky Red Barn, which is the new owner’s name for Harry Faulkner Jr.’s former Backstage bar, Brown said.

It may be open for business by Friday, Feb. 25, he added.