The town manager says the board would like to keep costs for the project around $8,000.
By Sarah Sousa
Special to the Sun Journal

BUCKFIELD – Selectmen unsealed the four bids received for the proposed highway garage project Tuesday, voting to take no action until asking townspeople about construction options.

Fourteen invitations were sent to engineers and design build firms throughout the area. In an attempt to narrow their choices for designing a cost-efficient garage, selectmen chose to invite bids from seven engineers and seven design-build firms.

Just one bid, submitted by Professional Engineering Design of Norway, fell within the proposed budget.

Town Manager Cindy Dunn said the board would like to keep the engineering costs for the project at around $8,000, with the total cost of the project, including salt storage facility, site work, gas/diesel pump and security fencing at around $200,000.

She said to keep project costs low, the board would like to hire a contractor to build the garage from the foundation up, with town manpower completing other construction and site work.

“I recommend that the selectmen take no action at this time on these bids,” said Dunn.

“We’ll see what the townspeople feel we should do and then decide on the bids,” said Selectman Oscar Gammon, referring to an informational meeting planned for the next evening.

The board voted to table the bids until conferring with townspeople.

In other business, Dunn informed the board that a local liquor option referendum question will appear on the June 17 municipal election ballot. The referendum will seek to gain permission from voters to allow local establishments to serve liquor on weekdays and Sundays.

Judy and Brian Coulthard, current owners of the Buckfield Inn, circulated the petition on behalf of two out-of-state residents who may be interested in purchasing the inn and creating a fine dining restaurant that serves alcohol, Dunn said.

Selectmen gave permission to the Public Television Committee to use the additional name Buckfield Community Television when covering community events, such as the Labor Day fesitivities. The board also assured committee representative Charles Berg that Adelphia will be contacted about a possible faulty audio modulator, which is causing audio distortion for viewers of the local access channel.

“We’re having trouble with a little box that costs less than $300,” said Berg.

“They’ve (Adelphia) taken our money, they need to give us the service,” Gammon said.

Dunn informed selectmen that residents Judy Berg, Christopher Hayward and Selectman Oscar Gammon are running for a selectman’s seat. Their names will appear on the June 17 ballot.

Copy the Story Link