MINOT — RSU 16 Director Katie Love on Tuesday invited selectmen to a meeting Dec. 10 to discuss next year’s school budget.

The meeting will bring together municipal and school officials from Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland. The intent is to open lines of communications early in the process and foster an understanding of the budget’s potential impact on student education and local property taxes.

Love also told selectmen that the RSU 16 School Committee revamped its meeting schedule to eliminate conflict with town board meetings.

For the past few years, the RSU School Committee met the first Monday of the month, the same night as the Mechanic Falls Town Council and for half the months of the year the same night as Minot selectmen.

In other business, Selectman Steve French told the board that tests on water from the well that supplies Minot Consolidated School continue to show arsenic and radon levels are safely within acceptable limits.

Both elements are common in the area’s granitic bedrock. When federal officials lowered the levels considered acceptable for a public water supply a few years ago, the town installed a filtration system that, French noted, appears to have solved the problem.

Selectman Dean Campbell announced that this year’s community Christmas tree lighting will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, in front of the Town Office. Campbell said he expects Santa will arrive on a firetruck.

Selectman Eda Tripp said Saturday’s parade to escort Sea G Rhydr on the final mile of her journey honoring Mesannie “Jackass Annie” Wilkins’ transcontinental horseback ride was well attended.

Wilkins’ ride began Nov. 8, 1954, at her homestead at the top of what is now called Jackass Annie Road. It ended in California two years later. Rhydr retraced the route in reverse.

Tripp said the West Minot Grange Hall was filled to capacity that evening for the Minot Historical Society’s supper and program recalling Wilkins’ ride.

Tripp also reminded residents she is preparing Thanksgiving baskets for 16 or 17 families in Minot and is accepting food or cash until Nov. 18. She may be contacted at the Town Office.