MINOT – Although Monday night’s second public hearing on the town’s development impact fees drew no questions, resident Emily Tuttle gave selectmen copies of a school enrollment and spending study she had conducted.

Tuttle questioned the connections between growth of the town’s housing stock and school enrollment and spending. She said her study, which goes back to the 1999-2000 school year, clearly shows a pattern of declining enrollment.

According to state education department figures, which Tuttle supplied, the Minot Consolidated School’s 1999-2000 enrollment stood at 316 and the latest enrollment figure, given at last week’s school committee meeting by Principal Margaret Pitts, stands at 278.

Tuttle’s data shows Minot’s school budget rising from about $2.2 million in 1999-2000 to about $2.3 million in 2005-2006.

Tuttle said her main concern with the impact fees was that someone might be counting on spending the money set aside for the school when it appears that development occurring in town has not resulted in increased numbers of students at the school.

“Most people won’t challenge the $2,000 impact fee. It’s not worth the cost to hire a lawyer to fight it, but a developer with a big subdivision might,” Tuttle said.

After the hearing, selectmen raised the fee from $2,000 to $2,800. The additional $800 will put $500 in a special reserve fund for public safety and $300 for recreational facilities.

In other business, selectmen set the 2006 property tax rate at $14.30 per $1,000 of assessed value, the same as 2005.

Emergency Management Agency Director Sharon Campbell gave selectmen copies of a preliminary emergency operation plan for their review. She explained that selectmen had to approve an emergency operation plan and the town must also adopt an emergency management ordinance in order to remain eligible to homeland security grants as well as other federal emergency funds.

Selectmen agreed to work on the emergency plan and hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, in the town office.