Wiscasset selectmen on Tuesday night put on hold a proposed park-and-ride behind the municipal building.

Public Works Director Doug Fowler presented a plan for closing the Washington Street entrance to the municipal building. He said it would eliminate the problem of motorists cutting through the lot to avoid traffic. The lot would also be reconfigured to create a park-and-ride area.

Fowler said the Maine Department of Transportation was willing to do an 80/20 split on the cost. It included enlarging the lawn around the town memorial and grassing in the former Route 1 entrance on the building’s north end. Eliminating the Washington Street entry would leave the town office with just the one entrance/exit by the police station.

Selectman Ben Rines Jr. said he hadn’t realized there was a problem. He suggested blocking off the parking area to keep motorists from driving through the lot.

Chairman Judy Colby said the town could always use more parking. “We have the new sidewalks out front, some summer visitors could park here and then walk downtown.”

Selectman David Cherry wondered whether there’d be enough interest in a park-and-ride. The board decided to have Fowler work out additional details of the proposal with Town Manager Marian Anderson.

Selectmen will begin advertising for people interested in serving on a committee for MDOT’s planned $4 million downtown traffic improvements. Two selectmen will serve on the committee.

Selectmen received a $7,537 dividend check from Maine Municipal Association.

The school department reported the recent sale of $6,900 in surplus equipment from the former primary school.

Town Planner Ben Averill was directed to begin the process of having Wiscasset’s 1813 Powder House named to the National Register of Historic Places. The building is located off of Churchill Street.

Selectmen also approved sending a letter to property owners in the town’s Historic District offering details about the historic preservation ordinance.

Anderson said she would be meeting with representatives of the Maine Art Gallery this week to discuss the Wiscasset Academy building on Warren Street. The organization has leased the building from the town for many years. Anderson said the art gallery believes it continues to have a valid lease.

James L. Kochan, president of Mars & Neptune Trust based in Wiscasset, submitted a request Aug. 16 to purchase or enter into a long-term lease for the 1807 building to use as the headquarters for his nonprofit organization.

Rines commented if the Mane Art Gallery were no longer interested in leasing the building, selectmen would make it available to any group that might be interested in leasing it. Rines said he would never be in favor of selling the building.

MDOT will hold an informational hearing at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the hearing room to discuss planned Route 1 traffic improvements. Work is scheduled at the Old Bath Road and 144 intersections.

Selectmen made the following appointments: Albert Kontrath, Historic Preservation Commission as an alternate; and Mackenzie Riley, Frederick Quivey, and Lonnie Kennedy-Patterson to the Budget Committee.

Selectmen approved the following catering permits: Frontier Group at Chewonki Foundation Sept. 29, Knights of Columbus for an event at Twisted Iron Customs on Sept. 25, and Oct. 22, Dogfish Bar & Grille for an event at Marianmade Farm on Sept. 9.

Also approved was a Chamber of Commerce request to place scarecrows and signs on the Town Common for the Scarecrow Festival.