FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday rejected four bids for crack sealing town roads.

The bids were opened last week and all exceeded the budget, some by a substantial amount, Town Manager Richard Davis told the board. He recommended rejecting them and putting the work back out to bid earlier next spring.

The bids included sealing higher traffic roads such as Main and Perham streets, which would require more traffic control and more money.

One bidder opted for night paving, which would require lighting and following Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

The board also approved a list of people interested in serving on the Downtown Tax Increment Financing Advisory Committee. The committee will present some ideas for projects and potential spending of the town’s TIF funds, Davis said. 

Most people expressing interest are business owners or workers in the downtown area who “see things we on the outside don’t see,” he said.

Selectmen Andy Buckland, Stephan Bunker and Michael Fogg approved the list. Selectman Josh Bell abstained because he intends to serve on the committee. Chairman Ryan Morgan was absent.

Along with Bell, the committee will include Buzz Davis, Gary Edwards, Ron Gelinas, Alison Hagerstrom, Drew Hufnagel, Mary Lello, Kevin Madore, Mike Mansir, John Moore and nonresidents Cindi Ferguson and Tom Saviello. Ferguson and Saviello have business interests in the downtown area. 

The committee will present project ideas, but any spending is up to the board, Davis said.

In other business, fire Chief Terry Bell sought approval for the department to share the Farmington Falls fire station with Chesterville Fire Department. Chesterville will house its tanker at the station, he said. 

If a grant comes through for a new truck, it would be housed at the Farmington Falls station, Bell said. The two departments applied for the grant together.

Since April when the department asked for three per diem firefighters, three have been hired from outside departments, Bell said.

Next week, four or five applicants will be interviewed to join the department, most in their late 20s and early 30s, he said.

The board accepted a donation of $2,063 for the Hippach Field fund in memory of Paul Sproul and asked the manager to express appreciation to his widow, Jeannette Sproul, on behalf of the town.

abryant@sunjournal.com