NEW GLOUCESTER — Selectmen on Monday endorsed Ganneston Construction Corp. of Augusta as the design/building contractor for a new Public Works facility at 611 Lewiston Road.

The building will replace the town garage and salt shed in Upper Gloucester village.

A subcommittee of the Public Works Design Committee was authorized by the board to negotiate a final project cost below $4 million.

In September, four design-build teams made presentations and submitted bids and Ganneston and Great Falls Construction of Gorham were finalists.

Town Planner Will Johnston wrote in a memo, “Although committee members expressed a high degree of comfort with both firms, the group ultimately chose to recommend Ganneston Construction as the contractor for the project. Committee members generally felt it offered a superior design and layout and a more cost-effective use of space.”

The next phase of the project includes contract discussions to complete a final project design and cost that is affordable to the town, Johnson said.

The negotiating subcommittee includes Selectman Steven Libby, Jeff Amos, Joe Davis, Public Works Director Ted Shane and Town Manager Paul First.

Once a contract is signed, a funding package will be developed followed by one or two workshops to inform and solicit feedback from the public. A special town meeting in early 2017 is expected for voter approval of the project.

The board also approved a timber-harvesting bid for the Public Works building site from Jim Everett and Sons of Waterford to begin immediately. A rough estimate for stumpage is $27,000, based on the value of white pine and oak logs, forester Paul Larrivee said.

In other business:

* Renewal of a junkyard license for Larry and Vicki Wedge was tabled based on testimony from abutters Kenneth and Annette White of 113 Sabbathday Road. The couple said a fence on the property line is not in good repair and has gaps in it. Also, they said junk cars and box trailers have been placed outside the fence at times, and stacked cars and tires can be seen above the fenced barrier from the road.

Selectman Stephen Hathorne will be the board’s liaison with the inspection issues.

* A seven-member citizen committee is being recruited to begin drafting an ordinance on marijuana retail establishments and social clubs, now that the statewide marijuana referendum has passed. People interested in serving on the committee should contact the Town Hall.

In early November, voters approved a six-month moratorium on applications for marijuana shops and clubs to allow the town time to develop an ordinance regulating them.

* Based on a new federal labor law requiring half an hour lunch breaks for certain salaried employees, the board agreed to change hours for two deputy clerks.

On the days the library is open, it closes from noon to 1 p.m. so librarian can eat lunch then.