NORWAY – The Board of Selectmen has awarded the contract for a $1.5 million sewer reconstruction project to McGee Construction of West Gardiner.
Despite some questions by board members about the role of the company in the recent Oxford Fairgrounds environmental violation, the board agreed unanimously at its Thursday night meeting to hire the company as the low bidder for the project.
Town Manager David Holt said he was not sure what, if any role, the company played in the Department of Environmental Protection’s recent citation of environmental violation at the fairgrounds, but said the company did the site work for the Walgreen’s Pharmacy when that was constructed two years ago and there were no problems.
In addition to a $277,777 bid from McGee, the board also received bids from C.H. Stevenson in Wayne for $289,401, St. Laurent & Son in Lewiston for $298,850, Pratt & Sons in Minot for $319,187and Northeast Earth Mechanics in Pittsfield, N.H., for $596,160.
Because the work came in $40,000 to $80,000 less than expected, Holt said it is possible they may be able to negotiate doing additional work on some of smaller side streets, including Maple, Oak, Pine, King and Crescent this fall.
Norway was awarded a federal stimulus grant through Maine Rural Development that will pay about 75 percent of the $1.5 million sewer project. The work involves replacing sewer downtown lines, some of which were installed in 1913.
Holt said he and Sewer Superintendent Shawn Brown will negotiate the contract with McGee Construction.
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