UNITY — The committee tasked with coming up with a plan for a town office has requested more time before it makes a recommendation.

Voters will be asked to approve a 120-day extension at a special town meeting at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Community Center.

Clem Blakney, selectman and Town Office Committee member, said the committee has done considerable work but is not ready to make a final proposal.

Since April, the committee has examined 15 building and lease sites and has whittled the list to three, he said.

Another committee member, Jean Bourg, said the group is also in the midst of discussions with a few property owners in town.

One organization has discussed the possibility of donating a lot, she said.

The committee also wants to obtain cost estimates from a couple of local modular home vendors, as well as an estimate for a wood structure, Bourg said.

The committee plans to review the work it has done since April during an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, also at the Community Center.

At Unity’s annua Town Meetingl in March, voters directed that a committee propose a design, location and cost of a town office by June 22.

Voters reached the decision after rejecting selectmen’s proposals to either build a town office on town-owned property near the fire station for $420,000 or buy a separate parcel and build one there for $470,000.

Voters also will be asked at Thursday’s special meeting whether to allow three selectmen to serve on the committee. The Town Meeting directive indicated the committee should have no fewer than five people and no more than two selectmen.

Chris Rossignol, an alternate on the committee, was elected selectman June 12 to fill the remainder of Jim Kenney’s term. Selectmen Blakney and Ron Rudolph are also on the committee.

Bourg said Rossignol’s contributions have been valuable and committee members want him to continue to serve.

The committee plans to hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the fire station.

In addition to Blakney, Rudolph, Bourg and alternate Rossignol, committee members are Andy Reed, Penny Picard, Tony Avila, Lucia Picard, Pat Haley and Abby Saudakus.

Since October, the Town Office has been in a wing at Unity Elementary School on School Street.

During the previous 16 years, it was at Clifford Common.

In 1995, resident and philanthropist Bert Clifford established a 99-year, $1-a-year lease for Unity to conduct town business in first-floor space of Clifford Common’s brick complex.

Massachusetts-based Johnson Property Management bought the complex after Clifford died in 2001 and decided against honoring the lease because the original lease was not filed properly.

That prompted selectmen to request temporary space at Unity Elementary School and search for a permanent spot.

At Thursday’s special town meeting, residents also will be asked to spend $30,000 more for winter roads.

Blakney said bids received for plowing this winter were considerably higher than what the town previously paid.

Beth Staples — 861-9252

[email protected]