By Ellie Fellers,Special to the Sun Journal

NEW GLOUCESTER – The Board of Selectmen on Monday night set up some preliminary budget parameters for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Town Manager Rosemary Kulow will develop a budget with no increase in taxes and no excessive amount taken from the undesignated fund balance. She said she anticipates moving one employee from part-time to full-time status. No new positions are anticipated.

Town officials and neighbors of Bear Brook Pond met with Maine Department of Transportation officials on Monday to deal with a washed-out section of a dam on Route 231 that drained the pond. The fire pond also attracts skaters and fishermen for the Fogg’s Corner neighborhood.

The 40-year-old dam is in the state’s right of way and was built by New Gloucester in 1963 for the Fire Department. State officials allege the dam is privately owned and not their responsibility, but the neighbors say it’s the state’s job to fix the dam, Kulow said. Two years ago road reconstruction work took place along the road portion of the dam.

Board Chairman Steve Libby said the group will continue to look for a solution, but no conclusions were reached.

In other matters, the board:

• Received no bids for installing a new roof at the transfer station on the Bald Hill Road.

• Opted to table action to review a personnel policy and hold a workshop instead.

• Tabled action on a request for proposals for engineering design and construction services for the Woodman Road reconstruction project.

• Took no action on a proposal to amend the town’s zoning ordinance to deal with fire protection and accessory apartments.

• Instructed Kulow to review bids for a crane system for the town garage from Sometex of Pittsfield at $11,498 and Coastal Equipment Corp. of Portland at $13,862.

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