WEST PARIS – Selectmen voted unanimously Thursday to change the Thursday hours at the town office to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

They have been 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Chairman Bill Birney said the Monday through Wednesday hours will remain at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday will stay 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The late Thursday closing was originally set so the hours would coincide with the selectmen’s meeting, but it was thought there is little sense to keep the office open if there are so few people taking advantage of the later closing.

Before the final vote was taken, Selectman Dennis Henderson said, “If it doesn’t work, we can always change back to the old hours.”

In other business, Henderson reported that the soapbox derby committee and the Old Home Days planners have ordered aluminum bleachers to be installed at the town office complex.

“People have asked if bleachers could be purchased so there will be a place for people to sit during the derby races and Old Home Days events,” said Henderson, “and we decided that it is time to provide better seating for those events.”

He said the cost is $802 per set and will be paid for out of the existing accounts for both committees.

Fire Chief Norman St. Pierre told selectmen he has come up with a price for a new firetruck from Southern Fire Equipment of Georgia for $178,171. The plan is to purchase a new truck in 2008, but selectmen said they would like more estimates so tabled the issue.