NEW GLOUCESTER — The town water district is legally established, paving the way for selectmen to name three trustees to staggered one-, two- and three-year terms.

Town Planner Paul First told selectmen Monday that the Legislature and the governor signed legislation creating the New Gloucester Water District. On Jan. 25, registered voters in the proposed water district area voted in favor of its creation.

State legislation requires naming the first Board of Trustees within 45 days of the referendum.

Selectmen are seeking candidates to fill the three slots. Any town resident may apply. A letter of interest and qualification will constitute an application that must be completed by Feb. 16.

First said the position will be advertised on the town website and TV-3, the community public channel.

Skill areas sought in candidates include but are not limited to engineering, legal, business and accounting.

On Friday, First submitted a grant proposal for funding assistance for the project to the Cumberland County Development Block Grant program. That application will be presented at the block grant review committee on Feb. 23 with New Gloucester staff and new district trustees present to strengthen the application effort, First said.

For more information on the Water District trustee positions, call Town Planner Paul First at 926-4126.

Initially, meetings will be held twice per month, then monthly with staff support.

The public water system will address the Upper Gloucester village’s drinking water polluted from underground gasoline storage tanks since the 1980s and a longstanding sand/salt pile.

The proposed water supply has been identified as a high yield sand/gravel bedrock aquifer at the New Gloucester Fairgrounds on Bald Hill Road. The site has a high water quality and a proposed production rate of 60 gallons per minute, more than twice the anticipated demand.

In other business, the board unanimously approved a change to the town’s personnel policy which gives full-time employees who work holidays time and a half pay after 40 hours.

Also, full-time employees will be entitled to eight hours of sick time per month.