WEST PARIS – Selectmen authorized purchasing 2,000 tons of crushed gravel from Pike Industries of Waterford at a cost of $14,700.

Road Commissioner Bill Keach had requested the gravel and sought bids from various companies earlier this fall but no bids were submitted. However, after making several calls during the past two weeks, he finally received an offer from Pike Industries, which breaks down the project to include $4 per ton for crushing and $3.35 per ton for trucking.

Keach also said that he has the money available in his highways and bridges account, which still contains about $16,000, and the costs of the gravel was intended to come from those funds anyway.

“I had included the gravel in my highways and bridges budget for this year when the budget was approved last March,” said Keach, “so no new money has to be raised to cover the cost if I buy it now.”

He added that he would like to use the funds as planned even though it is late in the year and he can stockpile it at the town pit until needed next summer.

He plans to use part of the material to resurface some of the town’s dirt roads and part for the Main Street rebuild planned for next summer.

“It will give us enough for the Main Street project and what is used there will be billed to the state who will be paying two-thirds of the cost anyway. So we’ll be getting some of the money back when that job is done,” Keach said.

Asked when Pike could crush and deliver the gravel he told the board he expects it to be done next week.

In other business the selectmen voted to participate in the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency’s hazard mitigation plan along with other area towns.

The plan that has been drawn up by the county with assistance from the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments will make grant money and other funds available for the town to address problem areas that may affect people in cases of weather disasters. In the future the road commissioner will be able to identify areas that might be heavily affected during heavy rains, hurricanes, snow and ice storms. By being listed on the plan, the town can receive emergency funds as grants become available to carry out preventative measures in problem areas as well help in making repairs when needed.