MINOT — Selectmen on Monday set the tax rate at $15.40 per $1,000 of property valuation, 20 cents less than last year.

Selectman Eda Tripp, acting as chief assessor, noted the town’s school assessment was only up by about $26,000. That could well be a different story in another year, she said, and taxpayers might appreciate a drop at least for this year.

“I’d like to reduce the (tax) rate by this little bit,” Tripp said in making her motion to set the lower rate.

In other business, selectmen met with John Hicks to discuss his plans for a concert from Sept. 9 to 11 at Hemond’s Motocross Park on Route 119. Hicks said he has sold over 1,000 tickets and expects between 5,000 and 7,000 people to attend his production, Great North: Music and Arts Festival.

Hicks said Great North, in its fourth annual event, will host hundreds of musical, visual and performance artists from Maine and beyond the U.S.

He said he has applied to the state for a mass gathering permit.

Selectmen quizzed Hicks regarding security, plans for handling medical emergencies, noise and other effects that might impact neighbors.

Hicks said he has hired 45 or 50 people from New England Security to work on-site and has contacted the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office about the expected extra traffic. Hicks plans to have an ambulance on-site and will contact residents in the immediate area to advise them of what will be happening.

There will be three stages, he said. The main stage will close down at midnight and two smaller stages in natural amphitheaters, which should help contain the noise, will close later.

“I’m sure this will be a learning experience for you and for the town,” Selectman Steve French said.

With Selectman Dan Callahan dissenting, the board approved and signed a BYOB permit.

All selectmen approved Lisa Cesare’s motion to approve the request pending receipt of documents showing the event had adequate liability insurance and that Hicks meet with Fire Chief Dean Campbell to go over his mass casualty plan.

“We’ll try it once and if it doesn’t go well, it won’t happen again,” Tripp said.

Reporting on other matters, French said he expects that new filters will be installed at the town well that supplies water to the Minot Consolidated School, eliminating the arsenic problem that was discovered in June.

Town Administrator Arlan Saunders said the town crew began replacing the Cool Brook culverts at the Pottle Hill Road crossing on Monday and it appears the road could be open for traffic before the end of the work day Wednesday. Twin 8-foot diameter culverts are being installed at the crossing.