FARMINGTON – Selectmen raised the property tax rate by 55 cents per $1,000 of valuation on Tuesday, setting the rate at $15.28.

The rate recommended by town assessor Mark Caldwell reflects a change in land values throughout town and a decision to not use money from the town’s undesignated fund to offset the increase as has been done in previous years.

“I couldn’t find enough new value,” Caldwell told the board, explaining there hasn’t been a lot of new construction to increase tax revenue to cover the $6.1 million to be raised by property tax, compared to the $5.7 million needed in 2007.

Concern for the impact of property value changes on farmers was raised by William Crandall as he noted Caldwell’s tax rate examples.

While a two-thirds acre one-family village residence faces a 4.80 percent change from 2007, a 200-acre farm with no buildings will see a 39.57 percent change over 2007.

“If farmers had been aware they would have been at this meeting,” Crandall said.

According to Caldwell’s examples, that 200-acre farm was valued at $71,500 in 2007 and was taxed $1,053, but with the 2008 property value adjustments the land is now valued at $96,200 with the tax up to $1,469.

The board voted 4-1 to approve the tax rate.

In other business, the board authorized the town manager to form a committee to look at the best plan for the future location of the Farmington Police Department.

Police Chief Richard Caton III told selectmen the idea of a building to house the department and the county dispatch at the site of the former town garage had been rejected by the county’s building committee.

One concern, said Selectman and county Sheriff Dennis Pike, was security for dispatch. The site sandwiched between High Street and Route 2 would not provide the security that dispatch has at its present site.

County commissioners will continue discussions at their meeting Sept. 2, Caton said, while questioning whether moving the department to the Fairbanks location was the best thing for the town.

The board agreed to form a committee to pursue the questions raised by Caton and help determine what’s best for Farmington.

The town manager will advertise for volunteers to join him, Caton and a selectman to form a study committee. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 19.