WELD — Residents have 55 articles to vote on Saturday at the annual town meeting, including deciding what they want to do with the proceeds from the sale of the Weld Elementary School building.

They will also consider changing the terms of the town clerk and tax collector from one-year elected to three-year appointments.

The town meeting begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Town Hall. The first two articles of the 57-article warrant will be done on Friday with the election of a moderator and election of town officials at the polls.

The polls will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. March 1 at the multi-purpose room at the Town Office.

Michael Pratt is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. That seat is currently held by Nancy Stowell, who is not seeking re-election.

Stowell is seeking election to a five-year term on the Planning Board, Town Clerk Carol Cochran said. Cochran is seeking another one-year term to both the tax collector and town clerk positions. She has held each of them for more than 35 years.

Gordeen Skolfield is running for a two-year term on the Planning Board, Cochran said.

Voters will once again try to decide what they want to do with the proceeds of the former Weld school. It was closed in 2008 and sold at auction in 2010.

Voters could not decide previously what to do with the proceeds. A School Building Committee, which was charged with exploring options for the building, had made several recommendations, including putting the money toward a special project such as the town acquiring some Webb Lake frontage or starting a scholarship for Weld students. No decisions were made.

There is $45,341.46 in a CD, which will mature on Oct. 22, Board of Selectman Chairman Wayne DuBois said.

“We don’t have a plan,” he said of the money.

It will be up to the townspeople to decide what they want to do with it, he said.

In Article 8, residents will be asked if they want to change the terms of office for the town clerk and tax collector, both currently held by Cochran, to a three-year appointed position rather than a one-year elected position.

It is a pretty important role in the town, and selectmen would like to make sure the person in the position has a certain skill-set to handle the position, DuBois said.

The current tax collector and town clerk has been elected each year for 30-plus year and he doubts that anyone could unseat her, but you never know, he said.

Voters will also consider increasing the road commissioner’s weekly hours from 30 to 40 if necessary.

Road Commissioner Kelly Hutchinson does a lot of equipment work himself, which has saved the town a lot of money, DuBois said. A 40-hour-a-week job would be more attractive in recruiting and keeping good employees. The change, if approved, would not go into effect until Hutchinson’s term is up in 2015.

dperry@sunjournal.com