KINGFIELD — Costs to rebuild and resurface Tufts Pond Road are edging toward $1 million and selectmen agreed Monday night they need professional advice before asking taxpayers to foot the bill.

The road has a mixture of residences and small businesses along it and has become unsafe for travel in some sections.

The past 20 years of weather damage, including that from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, deteriorated the pavement and base beyond the ability of the town’s Public Works employees to repair them. During those heavy rains and winter freezes, the ditches and culverts have not been able to handle the runoff efficiently.

Selectman Wade Browne said selectmen must face several difficult decisions, including whether to break the total cost into smaller pieces over time or whether to try to find money to do the entire job all at once.

“The priorities are ditching, shoulder work, crack sealing, adding gravel and paving,” he said. “Our guys can do the ditching and culverts to offset some of the other costs.”

There are three businesses on the road, and one is a campground.

No matter which choices the Wright Pierce engineering firm presents, the associated costs have to be addressed before the work is done.

“Right now, they’re quoting $793,000,” Administrative Assistant Leanna Targett said.

In other matters at Monday’s board meeting, Mill Street property owner Greg Powers asked selectmen to address concerns about the taxes he pays, the accuracy of town tax records and the methods the town uses to determine valuations. His property has not been reassessed for 12 years, Powers said, and he asked selectmen to be sure they are following the legal process required.

He also expressed frustration with the assessing process, protesting that Heather Moody served as chairman and the assessing agent for the Board of Selectmen.

He also told selectmen that the town does plow private streets, which conflicts with their decision not to use town funds to plow the road between Main Street and the Carrabassett River.

“Tell me one private street that the town plows,” Selectman John Dill said.

When Powers said Island Street was one example, Targett said the town owns it.

Powers declined to list other roads but said he would verify his information and provide a list.