LISBON – The 2004 tax rate is expected to remain unchanged from last year, $25.25 per $1,000 valuation, and will be formally set in early August, said Town Manager Curtis Lunt.

Assessor Gerald Samsom reported to Selectmen Tuesday night that total taxable property in town is $368 million, up $9.5 million from last year, due to new construction, which includes 72 new houses.

“At this point it looks great. … At the close of town meeting in May we expected it would go up by 4 percent, but with cuts by the School Committee and increases in revenues, there’s no change in the mill rate for the second year in a row,” said Lunt.

In other business, selectmen accepted $106,000 in urban-rural initiative funds from the state; last year the town got $98,000. The town is required to spend the funds on roads.

After reviewing an unprecedented seven bids, the board voted to award a three-year lease-purchase contract for a new photocopier for the town office to Transco Business Technologies of Augusta on its bid of $3,000, which will be paid at a rate of $211 per month. The new copier is designed to handle large volumes, will copy 45 pages a minute and will be networked with other machines in the office, Lunt said. The town makes about 135,000 copies annually.

George Ayer, the public works director, updated the board on reconstruction of Mill Street from Route 196 to Upland Road. A sidewalk will be added from Route 196 to the new school, Ayer said. That portion of Mill Street is expected to be completed by Aug. 20, in time for an open house on Aug. 28.

Pike Industries, the only bidder, was awarded the contract for about 3 miles of highway paving at $39.29 a ton, up from last year due to higher fuel costs.

Also approved was a three-year lease-purchase agreement with O’Connor GMC for a new 2004 GMC one-ton 4-by-4 truck for the Public Works Department, at total cost of $31,371, to be spread over a three-year period.

Changes to the nine-member School and Town Technology Committee were approved. The panel decided to split the committee into two subcommittees, which will operate independently and hold a joint meeting annually. Selectmen are now recruiting volunteers to serve on a five-member municipal Technology Committee.

Five members were appointed to the new Board of Directors to oversee the re-use and operations of the Marion T. Morse School. The school, which now belongs to the town, will be vacated in mid- to late August, when the new elementary school on Mill Street opens. Named to the board were Gordon Curtis, Judy Goddard, Julia Wilson, Brian Michaud and Paul Chizmar.

Harry Gorman and Harry Darling were appointed civil constables for serving civil process papers.