POLAND — Selectmen on Tuesday signed a letter asking Maine Department of Transportation officials to address the public’s concerns with the safety of the Five Corners intersection at Route 26 and Route 11.

The letter is addressed to Commissioner David Bernhardt and points out that relatively recently MDOT installed flashing caution lights at the intersection, hoping it might reduce traffic accidents. It also notes that the Oxford Resort Casino farther north on Route 26 is expected to open in a matter of months. And that, selectmen feared, could be a game changer.

“Residents of the communities who live around that intersection continue to feel very unsafe with the situation and worry about increased traffic from persons who are unfamiliar with the area on the way to the casino,” the letter says.

The letter also says that while selectmen would like to see the intersection reconfigured to allow the installation of a traffic light, they would not be opposed to building a roundabout, or rotary, which would slow traffic and “force motorists to pay close attention to what they’re doing.”

In other business, selectmen awarded the contract for a new snowplow to H. P. Fairfield, at a cost of $9,027 for a leftover model.

Public Works Director Jim Scott recommended the town secure the plow, which, while it is new, has been sitting around for a year or two, but offers the advantage of being immediately available.

The two other bids offered plows that could be available in four to six weeks, or, as Scott noted, maybe double that. The plow replaces one that the town has been using for more than 16 years.

Selectmen also awarded the contract to replace the town office furnace to Nason Mechanical Systems, which has agreed to install two highly energy-efficient units, complete with a seven-day programmable thermostat, for $9,247.80.

Town Manager Rosemary Kulow said it was estimated that it would take workers three or four days to install the system and that heat would have to be off completely for two days.

“One of those days the office could be closed. They are hoping to do the work the week after Christmas,” Kulow said.

Selectmen also accepted Norm Davis’ resignation from the Planning Board. Davis cited a change in his work schedule that made it difficult for him to make meetings, which occurred early in the week. He said he would be available to help out as a member of the town’s economic development committee, which meets later in the week.

Selectmen noted that while the economic development committee had a full board, there were a couple of members who were having trouble making meetings, and voted to name Davis to the economic development committee, pending the resignation of a nonperforming member.

Kulow also reported that she had received 83 applications for the recently advertised town office service clerk position.