RANGELEY — Selectmen appointed Rob Duplisea as town assessor on Tuesday.

His one-year contract will run through June 30, 2015.

Duplisea recommended lowering the town’s property tax rate from $11.70 to $11.60 per thousand dollars of valuation. After studying the tax base and available funds, selectmen voted to reduce it to $11.55.

David James advocated a resolution to identify and address phosphorous runoff levels in Rangeley Lake, and to look into grants and federal Environmental Protection recommendations. He said the town needs to find a solution before it becomes a pollution problem.

The board instructed the town manager to add the discussion to the next agenda.

In a related action, the board earmarked $40,000 raised for town park drainage to be used for maintenance work on the sediment pond, which may not need complete reconstruction. A plan is being developed to address drainage problems in the rest of the park and should be available at the next meeting.

The State Department of Transportation contacted the Oquossoc ATV Club to say it did not feel selectmen were sufficiently in favor of the club’s request to extend their ATV trail in Oquossoc, although the board had written to support the extension. The board voted to draft and sign a new letter in precise language that would leave the DOT no doubt as to its support for the extension.

Two bids were received for the High Street/School Street reconstruction project. The contract was awarded to M & H Construction, whose bid was lower than E. L. Vining & Son’s bid.

Beginning Aug. 4, the board will meet every other Monday instead of every other Tuesday.

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