NEWRY — Approximately 3,500 tax bills were mailed Wednesday morning, following the  selectmen setting the tax rate Monday evening.

The new rate is $9.05 per thousand dollars of valuation. Last year’s rate was $8.97, Administrator Loretta Powers said Wednesday morning.

Unlike some Maine towns that split the tax bill into two payments —  one in the fall, the other in spring — Newry’s property taxes are to be paid by Sept. 30. After that, interest starts to accrue.

However, Powers said Newry does offer a 2 percent discount if the tax bill is paid within the first 30 days.

Also at Monday’s board meeting, selectmen made Powers the motor vehicle dealer agent because Deputy Clerk Anita Clark resigned June 26 after a decade on the job.

Powers said they’ve started advertising the 40-hour per week position and have received six resumes. The board also agreed to pay Clark for her remaining three weeks of vacation time that wasn’t taken before she resigned.

The board also voted to close the Town Office on Thursday, July 3. It will reopen Monday morning, July 7.

Selectmen have also changed their regular board meetings from Tuesdays to Mondays at 5 p.m. The next meeting will be July 7 in the Town Office.

Other than a routine public hearing for a new liquor license for the Matterhorn Restaurant, which was sold this past week, Monday’s agenda is mostly about old business, including work on the town administrator’s job description, Bear River Grange Hall maintenance, school funding and summer paving work bids.

Selectmen also learned that Animal Control Officer Sue Milligan of Rumford will be out six weeks. She suffered a dog bite in Rumford. Powers said the board will need to find a replacement while Milligan is off the job.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com