DIXFIELD — Selectmen for the town of Dixfield voted to donate $200 from their contingency fund to the House of Peace women’s shelter.

Sharon Walker, who has been attempting to start a women’s shelter in Rumford, is asking for the money to help purchase a double-oven stove.

“I believe this is a very good cause and we should support it,” said Selectman Stephen Donahue.

A motion was made by Donahue to donate the $200 and Selectman Katherine Harvey agreed to personally donate $100 to the cause.

Selectman Norine Clarke said she would approach the Dixfield Outdoor Market for donations. The Outdoor Market has donated funds to help support various town programs including the Halloween walk, Santa’s Helpers, and the Historical Society.

Walker hopes to gain status as a nonprofit so she can seek grant money.

“It’s not the big amounts that are going to help,” Walker said. “It’s all the little amounts like donations that will get us up and running.”

Walker hopes the shelter, located in a 17-room farmhouse on Wyman Hill in Rumford, will be open by November.

In other business the selectmen discussed issues with a town tax-acquired property at 1 Dix Ave. Concerns about the property’s upkeep and how previous owners have let the area become an eyesore were mentioned.

Selectman Malcom Gill motioned to have restrictions placed on the deed requiring the next buyer to fix the property. The motion was passed by a unanimous vote.

Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky announced that Sue Milligan would be helping to cover the animal control position while Anne Simmons-Edmunds attends the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Milligan is also a animal control officer for Mexico and Rumford.