NORTH ATTLEBORO - Town officials hope to hire an independent engineering firm to review the results of soil analysis conducted on municipal land adjacent to the New England Gas property on Mount Hope Street.

New England Gas is removing soil from the property and has dug test wells on surrounding properties to check for contamination. The land was once used to manufacture coal gas and contains residue from those operations in the soil.

Both the company and the state Department of Environmental Protection have said work at the site is not a hazardous waste removal project and that the substances found on the property are not at levels that are a cause for concern.

The town owns adjacent property and is among neighbors having property tested by the company. Several of the residential neighbors have approached selectmen with concerns about what is going on behind the dark fabric hanging on the New England Gas property's fence.

Although selectmen invited New England Gas to a public meeting to discuss the project, the company abruptly canceled the meeting the night before it was to appear, saying that the information is not public record. At that time, Selectman Michael Thompson asked whether the town could hire a company to review the testing results. "We certainly need someone to analyze this stuff and put it in a context that we can understand," Thompson said this week.

Town Administrator Mark Fisher said he contacted a company that conducts peer reviews of such projects, based upon a recommendation by board of public works member Robert Norton. Fisher said it will cost about $7,500 to have the review conducted.

Since the town does not have funding for the analysis in its current budget, selectmen said they will place an article on the January town meeting warrant to ask for the money.