SALEM — Salem Town Chairman Linda Valentine removed a plan to reconsider funding for a new highway department building from the Town Board agenda Monday, saying she planned to hold a special meeting on the issue.

Last week, the board held a special meeting on the $10.7 million plan to construct a new building to house the highway department and replace the Trevor fire station. The board voted to move forward with the building, which has been under consideration since 2005, but the vote to fund the project failed in a 2-2 tie, with Valentine abstaining.

After that meeting, Supervisor Jo Weidman said she had been confused when she voted no for the funding, saying she believed she was voting to delay only the fire station portion of the project.

She said she had planned to asked for the issue to be put back on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

The issue was on the agenda posted Aug. 7 by Town Clerk Cindi Ernest; however, Valentine posted an amended agenda Sunday afternoon, removing the building plan from consideration.

On Monday, Valentine said she amended the agenda for errors and inconsistencies. She said she is responsible for determining what is on the agenda.

“In the future, I will say, that my name will be the authorizing agent of the agenda,” she said.

Under the plan presented last week, the town would issue bonds to fund the project in stages. Salem has applied for a $2 million federal stimulus grant to fund the fire portion of the project, but will not learn whether it has received the grant until early 2010.

The balance of the project — or the entire cost if the grant application is denied — would be paid by taxpayers through property taxes beginning in 2011.

On Monday, three residents spoke out against the project.

“You people do need a building, you do, but $8.3 million is totally unreasonable at this time, “ said Jim Cross, speaking of the highway department portion of the proejct. He said in the current economic crisis, residents cannot afford a tax increse.

Resident Brad Smith agreed, saying the country is in an “unprecedented financial crisis,” and that growing unemployment in Kenosha County makes this a poor time to pursue the building plan.