TURNER — Selectmen announced Monday that the town beach on Bear Pond will open weekends beginning Friday, May 26.

As of June 22, the last day of school, the beach will be open seven days a week until Labor Day.

Also at their meeting, selectman finalized plans for mounting the new Bicentennial Bell and anticipate it will be in place the Independence Day celebration.

The new bell will be mounted 10 feet above the ground atop granite posts, safely out of reach of vandals. The bronze bell weighs 350 pounds and is 24 inches in diameter. It replaces the original bell stolen in 2012.

In other news, Town Manger Kurt Schaub said the tax-acquired property at 29 Johnson Hill Road sold at auction May 11 for $137,000. With the 10 percent buyer’s premium, the actual purchase price becomes $150,700. After deducting the auctioneer’s commission and the estimated promotional expenses the town made about $140,773. 

Schaub reported that the Maine Department of Transportation will begin working on two bridges within the next few weeks. The first is the repair of Turner’s end of the new Twin Bridges. Work will begin in late May and will conclude by late July. 

The second project is replacing the surface of the bridge on Mill Hill Road in early June to late July.

A public meeting for the replacement of the North Parish Road Bridge will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, in the Community Room on the lower level of Leavitt Institute.

The Swap Shop at the Transfer Station will likely get a new floor in response to a resident falling recently. Either a plywood or poured concrete floor is being considered.

At the special selectmen meeting May 8, Chairman Kurt Youland reported he attended an auction and saw a 2013 International Wheeler that fit the specifications desired in a new truck.

“The truck did not sell and is still available,” he said. “It has an integrated body (dump and spreader), plow and wing, and had 39,000 miles and looks nearly new.”

Selectmen believed it was worth exploring the option for an estimated price of $85,000 to $90,000, compared to $190,000 for a new one.

In other news, traffic lights were repaired and sensors checked and adjusted at the Hannaford traffic light.

The Town Office will be closed at noon Friday, June 30, to close the books for this fiscal year. The office will reopen Monday, July 3.