By Connie Footman,Special to the Sun Journal

DURHAM – The Lewiston company contracted to build a firetruck for the town is being operated by a court-ordered trustee, but town officials said they don’t expect any problems because of it.

Northeast Bank, the lender to Emergency Vehicles of Maine, requested the receivership, according to officials.

The town has paid for the chassis, which was delivered in September to the company’s factory on Foss Road where the truck is to be built. So far, the town has paid $111,932 toward the firetruck and is to pay another $127,000.

The truck was to have been ready before the end of 2005, according to Durham Administrative Assistant John White, but a pump coming from Florida was held up due to hurricanes.

Upon learning of the receivership order, selectmen immediately turned the matter over to attorney Jack Conway of Linnell Choate and Webber, the Auburn law firm that represents the town. Conway confirmed that a court-appointed receiver has been put in the position of running and operating EVM’s business. “At this point, my job is to secure the rights of town,” he said.

Town officials say the towns of Candia, N.H., and Beecher Falls, Vt., also have contracts with Emergency Vehicles of Maine. Efforts to contact EVM on Thursday were unsuccessful. The person who answered the phone said the two top officials were out of state on business and everyone else had left for the day.

Copy the Story Link