LISBON — The Town Council on Tuesday authorized soliciting bids for natural gas.

“Our current contract is up in February, so we want to start the bid process early,” Town Manager Diane Barnes said. She said the town wants to see pricing and bring that back to the council. 

“We’re doing our due diligence to move it forward,” council Chairman Allen Ward said. 

The council also authorized two real-estate tax write-offs for an abandoned trailer. Barnes said the owner of the trailer park where one of them is located wants to demolish it but can’t get a permit to do that until the taxes have been paid.

“We’re unable to collect those taxes now,” Barnes said, so the city decided to waive them.

In other business, Ward announced committee assignments:

• Councilor Ward: County Budget Committee, School Committee, Planning Board;

• Councilor Chris Brunelle: School Facility Committee, Public Safety;

• Councilor Norm Albert: School Committee, Lisbon Development Committee, Administration and Library, Public Works and Parks and Recreation, Commercial Revolving Loan Committee;

• Councilor Dale Crafts: Public Safety, Assessment Review Board, Voter Registrations Appeals Board;

• Councilor Kris Crawford: Water Department, Appeals Board, Public Safety, School Facility Committee, Recreation Committee;

• Councilor Kasie Kolbe: Administration and Library, Public Works and Parks and Recreation, School Committee, Lisbon Development Committee, Ethics Panel, Recreation Committee; and

• Councilor Mark Lunt: Conservation Committee, Library Governing Board, Administration and Library, Public Works and Parks and Recreation, Commercial Revolving Loan

The next council meeting is scheduled Jan. 10 as a workshop to address staff salaries.