NEW GLOUCESTER — Selectmen on Monday voted unanimously to set the 2014-15 tax rate at $14.50, an increase of $1.05 over this year.

Taxes on a $100,000 property will go up $105.

The rate increase is because of an 11.5 percent hike in the town’s assessment to Regional School Unit 15 and less state aid for education.

The board unanimously confirmed William Johnson of Pownal as the new town planner. He will start Sept. 8.

Town Manager Paul First recommended Johnson.

Johnson has served as a planner providing services to several communities. He also served as Gorham’s town planner and was the water program manager at the Environmental Finance Center. He also was a senior planner with the State Planning Office.

In other business, Stephen Hathorne was told that the library sign would be replaced within the next three weeks. No decision has been made on the Smokey the Bear sign that remains near the site of the old Fire Department.

Hathorne was told that a typo in the Recall Ordinance passed by voters will be remedied at a future town meeting and does not warrant another petition drive to change the document.

Hathorne also questioned the board about changing the wording of a warrant article that would allow the funding figure to be changed at the meeting.

Selectmen said they are not comfortable putting the funding figure in the warrant article.

“If I was assured that every registered taxpayer showed up at the town meeting, that would be OK,” Selectman Nat Berry IV said. However, generally less than 100 attend the annual town meeting, though attendance has more than doubled with voter interest in the water district and the recall ordinance issues.

Hathorne learned that the town spent $8,304 for the Sandra Sacco lawsuit against the town.

Also, the board spent $12,092 on the Frank Staton Jr. protection from harassment order initiated by the town. Most of the funds were paid in the 2013 budget.

The town’s legal fund totals $20,000.

The two lawsuits will be paid through the town’s insurance with Maine Municipal Association. In each case, there is a $5,000 deductible, First said.

In other business, staff will review four bids for engineering design for the Outlet Road Bridge. The location has not been surveyed and no permit work done. No borings to determine the soils and ledge conditions have been conducted.

Maine Department of Transportation’s bridge division has determined that the southwest wing of the bridge is cracked and rotated. Also, there is deteriorated concrete on the abutment and slab.