WELD – Voters accepted the former Weld Elementary School building and land from the SAD 9 school district at town meeting Saturday.

They also authorized selectmen to set up a committee to make a recommendation for its use by July 1. The proposal will go before voters at a special town meeting.

Those decisions came after debate and rejection of a motion to sell the building and an offer from resident Robert Martin to buy it for $25,000 on the spot.

Residents suggested using the building as a multipurpose center to meet the needs of children and senior citizens. Twenty people volunteered to be on the committee to research the best way to use the building.

Voters also accepted a donation of about 1 acre abutting the Center Hill Cemetery from Neil and Joanne Stinneford in exchange for relinquishing the right of way across their property. Residents agreed to raise $1,850 for a new entryway to the cemetery near the Mount Blue State Park property.

Townspeople voted to buy a truck not to exceed $125,000 with $21,000 appropriated from the equipment fund, $20,000 raised through taxation and the remainder to be paid over three years. A committee will research the best deal and selectmen will have the final say.

Voters rejected increasing the code enforcement officer’s pay from $13 an hour to $16 but voted to raise the roads and grounds hourly rate by 25 cents to $16 and the transfer station attendant’s hourly rate by $1 to $11. They also approved a new pay rate of $12 an hour for an equipment mechanic.

Voters also agreed to raise $210 per month toward the cost of the town-approved health insurance plan for the town clerk and $170 a month for insurance for the roads and grounds foreman. The combined yearly total is $4,560. It was the first time the two positions have received money toward health insurance.