CHINA -- With the annual town business meeting set for Saturday, March 29, a 46-article warrant has gone to the Budget Committee for review.

Voters will be asked to decide on 10 new proposals, in addition to authorizing town expenditures and policies for the 2008-09 fiscal year that begins July 1.

At Monday's meeting, selectmen put the warrant in final form, subject to Budget Committee recommendations. Selectmen meet again at 7 p.m. Monday.

The new items are requests to:

• Authorize selectmen to rent out office space in the old town house basement;

• Transfer more than $59,000 from a reserve fund to the China Lake access reserve fund, and authorize selectmen to buy lake-access properties;

• Appropriate up to $2,500 for emergency supplies so the Town Office can function as an emergency shelter;

• Appropriate up to $15,000 to buy and install a bulk storage tank and pump for gasoline and diesel for town vehicles;

• Authorize selectmen to sell to Central Maine Power Co. town-owned land abutting power lines near the school and the transfer station;

• Appropriate up to $3,500 for the wetlands study committee;

• Authorize selectmen to enter an agreement to accept construction demolition and debris, recyclables and other agreed-upon items from Albion;

• Appropriate up to $9,500 to buy and install video cameras at the transfer station;

• Authorize selectmen to sell Bradley Island in China Lake's west basin to the Kennebec Water District or swap it for district land near the narrows between the east and west basins of China Lake, and add any proceeds to the China Lake access reserve fund; and

• Authorize selectmen to sell Thurston Park, the town-owned recreation area, to the Land for Maine's Future board and add proceeds to the lake access fund.

Town Manager Daniel L'Heureux said CMP plans a major upgrade of its transmission lines through China. The company is contacting property owners along the west side of the line seeking to expand its corridor, he said.

Video cameras at the transfer station would make it possible to identify illegal dumpers. L'Heureux said cleanup of dumped hazardous substances could cost the town in the thousands of dollars.

Another new item, included in the annual police budget, is L'Heureux's proposal to spend up to $9,500 for a portable flashing sign warning drivers who exceed the speed limit.

L'Heureux said that if voters approved everything as presented, local appropriations would exceed the $338,855 ceiling established under state law by two items: the estimated $41,000 for new emergency dispatching services and an additional $3,500 for insurance to cover firefighters when they are on nonemergency service, such as running fundraising events.

The E-911 dispatching figure is based on fees that would be charged if China joined the Kennebec County system, the Augusta-based Central Maine Regional Communication Center.

However, Monday's meeting began with a discussion of going with Somerset County for answering all calls and dispatching fire and rescue services, to save about $8,000 next year.

Mike Smith from the Somerset County dispatch center said police calls would still have to go through Kennebec County.

Smith previously met with China's fire and rescue chiefs, who endorsed using the Somerset County center. He said he intends to start developing the plan by making sure radio systems are compatible.