POLAND — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday approved the funding of a $41,713 bid to install sprinklers in Ricker Library.

A unanimous vote approved the funding to come from the $33,891 designated for the project in the municipal budget, as well as an additional $7,822 from the reserve under the timber line item.

The original bid of $54,938 was changed because Public Works will be able to perform some of the necessary work.

The board also approved a request for proposal for the Municipal Complex to have an engineering firm come in and do an engineer-approved blueprint for the parking lot redesign. 

The original plans for a redesign that would stretch from Ricker Library to the Town Office were made in October 2013.

The renovations would include green space and more parking, which Selectman Stan Tetenman said is needed. He also said he hopes a renovation would inspire current and future tenants on Route 26 to do something similar. 

Other things to consider in the redesign include ease of maintenance and snow removal.

Regional School Unit 16 is forming a nine-person Communication Advisory Committee to help address communication problems among the board, community members and school staff.

The committee will include three board members, three community members and three staff members.

The Board of Selectmen will be responsible for choosing the three community members.

Tetenman said if members of the public are interested in a position on the committee, they should come to the Town Office in the next few days and fill out a volunteer application. 

School board members are Norm Beauparlant of Poland, Lisa Dulac of Minot and Tina Love of Minot. The three staff members will be chosen by the RSU 16 Education Association.