Town Manager Marian Anderson announced Tuesday night, the town has a purchase and sales agreement on the former Wiscasset Primary School.

“It’s a taxable entity,” she noted, adding the sale hasn’t been finalized. The town hopes to sign off on an agreement on Dec. 15. Anderson said she would share more details as they became available.

Selectmen spent 42 minutes in a closed-door session regarding the school Monday night, then returned to open session and announced they were taking no action.

Monday’s executive session was called to discuss disposition of property. Chairman Judy Colby confirmed in advance it regarded the school, which the town closed in 2015 and has been trying to sell, most recently for $525,000.

Also Tuesday night, Wiscasset selectmen got an earful during the 30-minutes allotted for public comment. Newcastle residents started the evening’s complaints earlier, when selectmen took up renewal of a required Special Amusement Permit for Wiscasset Speedway.

During a public hearing to discuss the application filed by speedway owners Vanessa and Richard Jordan, two Newcastle residents asked and were allowed to address the board.

Angelo Pappagallo and Glenn Berkowitz asked if selectmen might consider putting some restrictions on the operation of the racetrack. Pappagallo complained he can clearly hear noise from the track at his home in Sheepscot Village, adding there were occasions this past summer when the races ran late into the evening.

Berkowitz said selectmen could limit how late the races continued. They provided a prepared statement indicating they represented N.O.I.S.E. (Neighbors Opposed to Invasive Noise).

Two Wiscasset residents, William Barnes, a former selectman, and Pam Logan of Fort Hill Street spoke in support of the racetrack. Logan said her home was a lot closer to the track and wasn’t bothered by the noise. “I’m fine with it. It means people are out and having a good time,” she commented.

Barnes said the Jordans had done a good job bringing racing back to Wiscasset. “We ought to be expressing our appreciation to them.”

Both the police chief and EMS director said they’d experienced no problems at the racetrack. Selectmen unanimously renewed the Jordans’ permit.

When Chairman Judy Colby then asked if there was any public comment Seaver Leslie of the Dickenson Road went to the podium. He urged selectmen not to enter into any future agreement with the Maine Department of Transportation for the proposed downtown project, cautioning there were simply too many unknowns. Leslie warned of severe financial impacts if MDOT goes ahead with its plans.

“The notion circulated back in June that this project would cost the town nothing was wrong and it mislead many people,” Leslie read from a prepared statement. The costs he continued, included operation and maintenance of the traffic signals, winter snow removal of the sidewalks and parking areas, and care of the landscaping, benches, lighting and signage.

“How will Wiscasset pay for these amenities (while) struggling to keep up its existing infrastructure– such as schools, roads, sidewalks and schools.”

Leslie said MDOT’s plan to improve Railroad Avenue and add a parking lot there was a good idea and something worth pursuing.

Selectman Judy Flanagan said MDOT had been clear from the outset there would be certain costs to the town and voters understood what they were voting on at the non-binding referendum. Removing snow from in front of a business was the responsibility of the business owner, not the town, she added.

Selectman Ben Rines Jr. said he didn’t recall getting any hard numbers on the financial costs from MDOT officials.

Selectman David Cherry sided with Flanagan. “MDOT was very upfront as far as what the town’s financial responsibility was concerning the maintenance costs.”

Barnes then returned to the podium to express concerns with what he called the direction the town was headed. “When we get our property tax bill and see where it jumps 14 percent and read where taxes are going down in other towns, I think you people need to take a better look at where we’re going.”

Barnes said over the years he’d bought land in town so his children could settle in Wiscasset. “I think now that I’ve put an undue burden on them,” he said.

Bob Blagden, another former Wiscasset selectman, took the next turn. “What surprised me was not one of you (selectmen) made a motion to fire the auditor and you still today don’t have a final figure on your fund balance. “People can’t stand a three-mil increase in their property taxes every year but that’s likely what we’ll have,” continued Blagden. “You have got to somehow make up the shortfall on the fund balance. It should be your primary focus, not whether the firemen can wash their cars next door at the firehouse.”

Sharon Mrozinski who owns the Marston House with her husband Paul Mrozinski on Main Street then read a prepared statement. “I think that we can all agree that our recent property tax increase of 14 percent is a burden none of us can accept graciously,” she said, adding MDOT’s proposal will only add to the town’s financial burden.

Before selectmen sign off on any agreement with MDOT officials, Mrozinski urged them to estimate what the future costs will be to the community, specifically, how it will impact the town’s budget.

When the board returned to its regular agenda, selectmen voted unanimously to send out bids for a new auditing firm.

The town’s fiscal year ended June 30 but Town Manager Marian Anderson said the auditing work likely won’t be completed until November. She noted the school department’s auditing work hasn’t been completed either. Both the town and school department use the auditing firm of RHR Smith & Co. of Buxton.

Anderson felt it was a good practice for municipalities to change auditing firms after so many years. Selectmen were uncertain how long RHR Smith had been the town’s auditor.

Police Chief Jeffrey Lange said new weight limits and school zone signage have been posted on Federal Street. From June 1 through Sept. 30, the police department issued 35 warnings for speeding and exceeding weight limits on Federal Street, he said. Repeat offenders will receive summonses. He said some motorists had been clocked driving 35 to 40 in a posted 25 or 15 mph zone.

Lange and the road commissioner will look into lowering the speed limit in front of the Sheepscot Valley Children’s House, a private school on the upper end of Federal Street.

Lange said this Friday, Oct. 7, Treats on Main Street will host “Coffee with a Cop” from 9 to 11 a.m. There is no agenda, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers who serve Wiscasset, he said. Wiscasset Ford is donating the coffee.

Selectmen changed the designation of the Point East Village Subdivision acquired through foreclosure. Rather then attempting to sell the property as individual lots, the board hopes to sell it as one piece of property.

 John Merry was appointed to the Budget Committee and John Blagdon Jr. to the Appeals Board. Also approved was a business license application for Horizon Landscaping filed by Alex McLeod of Mountain Road.

Damien Pinkham of Dresden was granted a permit to provide live music on the Creamery Pier on the weekends through October. The performance will feature the band Y-Wouldn’t-U. It performs classic rock and original songs.

Anderson noted the resignation of Officer Nadean Crossely from the Wiscasset Police Department. Officer Craig Worster has been hired to replace her.