By Mary Standard,Special to the Sun Journal

HARTFORD – John Cleveland of Community Dynamics consultants brought estimates for smaller sand and salt sheds to the Board of Selectmen on Thursday night.

On Jan. 19, voters approved spending up to $220,000 for a 60-by-120-by-33-foot tall shed to hold 3,500 cubic yards.

Board Chairman David Bowen asked for estimates on a smaller ones.

Cleveland presented an estimate of $183,000 for a shed 60-by-100-by-33-feet tall that would hold 3,000 cubic yards. Another for $166,000 was 50-by-120-feet-by-31-feet tall to contain 1,500 cubic yards.

The town uses approximately 4,000 cubic yards of sand/salt mix a year.

Cleveland, owner of the Auburn planning, economic and community development consulting firm, said if in 15 years the town decided to make the smaller shed larger, the cost would be around $80,000 or more.

Bowen was out of town, so no decision could be made.

Selectman Lee Holman said, “It seems like the sooner we can move forward, the better.”

Selectman Hope McCabe told Cleveland, “We will definitely have the building size on the next meeting agenda.

Cleveland said he’s already spoken to the Maine Municipal Bond Bank and the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. A representative from DEP told Cleveland it might take eight weeks to get through the environmental review. The biggest concern will be groundwater and getting archaeological clearance.

Cleveland said he would be working on these concerns parallel with bids to facilitate the process.

In other news, the board appointed Gary Pottle as a Planning Board alternate.

A person is needed for the Waste and Recycling Committee; anyone interested is asked to call the town office.

The board discussed a weight limit for trash pickup. One resident has been putting very heavy things in their barrel and it takes two people to lift it into the truck. If the weight is considered to be more than 70 pounds, the barrel will not be emptied.