CHINA — A plan to build a new emergency access road to China Primary School is on hold until bidders can come up with a better design.

Selectmen on Monday rejected both bids to build the road and authorized the two bidders and surveyor Elwood Ellis to redesign the project.

The same two contractors, Scott Childs, of Palermo, and Robin Tobey, of China, will rebid the redesigned road.

Selectmen will hold a special meeting to vote on the new bids as soon as they are submitted, according to board Chairman Peter Foote.

The new road is to provide a second access to the primary school, which is off Lakeview Drive behind China Middle School and is served by a single drive along the south edge of the property.

The road plan prepared by engineer Boyd Snowden was intended to minimize cutting trees along the north edge of the property, as Ellis requested. Ellis is one of China’s two representatives on the Regional School Unit 18 board.

To avoid woods, Snowden proposed locating the road where it needs a cement retaining wall that Tobey estimated would be up to 5 feet high.

The wall is a substantial part of the contractors’ cost. It is also, they and Ellis agreed, a hazard in an area where children play.

All three agreed that moving the road 20 or 30 feet, cutting a few more trees and eliminating the retaining wall would reduce the cost significantly. It might mean less dirt fill for the road itself, which would also save money, Tobey said.

Board members voted 4-0, with Paul MacDonald abstaining, to reject both bids.

“It’s going to save a lot of money and be a safer project,” Tobey said after the vote.

Changing the road design means returning to the China Planning Board for an amended permit, but Ellis did not anticipate any complications.

Ellis said the state grant and loan intended to pay for the road require that work start in December.

“We’ve got to start spending the money or it goes away,” he said.

In other business Monday evening:

* Selectmen accepted a petition organized by resident Frederic Hayden to schedule a vote to repeal China’s shoreland Septic System Compliance Ordinance. They scheduled the vote for June. They authorized Foote to ask Planning Board Chairman Ronald Breton if the Planning Board would prepare a revised septic system compliance ordinance to be presented at the same time.

* Former selectman Neil Farrington won the board’s support to try to revive the China Historical Society, with the goal of reopening the museum in the old town house next summer.

* The Thurston Park II Committee got a resolution from the board supporting the committee’s application for a grant for trails work in the park in northeastern China.

* Selectmen elected MacDonald recycling coordinator, succeeding Farrington. MacDonald reported on progress on the new composting area and new break room being built at the Transfer Station.

* Board members scheduled their annual visioning session, at which they review the previous year and suggest priorities for the coming year. The session is set for Monday, Dec. 12, at 5 p.m. at the Town Office.