LIVERMORE FALLS — A local business owner took selectmen to task Tuesday for how they decided to purchase a Sewer Department truck.

Brenda Brochu, owner of Bailey Brothers Ford in Livermore Falls, thanked Selectmen Tom Barker and Louise Chabot for supporting Bailey Brothers’ bid for the truck.

Selectmen Ronald Chadwick, George Cummings and Jeff Bryant had voted to purchase the Chevrolet truck from Hight Chevrolet in Farmington.

“Now I would like the other three of you to explain to me why on earth you felt the need to undermine a local taxpaying business,” she demanded.

Cummings responded that at the previous meeting Dec. 6, selectmen had made a motion to purchase the truck from Bailey Brothers for $34,000 and “you didn’t come through.”

“That left the door open,” he said. 

He asked if there was a rear window defroster on the Ford truck from Bailey Brothers.

Brochu asked how often a rear defroster would be used on a regular cab truck, and Cummings said it would be useful in the winter in the area near the river where the truck would be stored.

Brochu said she felt it was unfair that selectmen had asked Bailey Brothers for a quote in August and expect the truck to be the same price in December. Selectmen noted the truck from Hight had a rearview camera, which the vehicle from Bailey Brothers didn’t have.

“As many years as Bailey’s has been in this town, you couldn’t support a local business for a rearview camera for $35,” Brochu said.

Selectman Ron Chadwick said the purchase was partly due to a joint agreement with Jay. He noted Jay was paying 56 percent of the amount of the truck, and the Livermore Falls Sewer Department was paying the rest.

“When trustees of the (sewer) departments were looking for a vehicle, and found the original bid was no longer there, we went back to the drawing board,” Chadwick said.

He added that the Jay board told them to go with the Chevrolet.

“I guess I’m learning — if anything can be learned from this — is you were completely honest and right on,” Selectman Jeffrey Bryant said to Brochu. “Shame on us for waiting until now to get the truck. We should have rebid the entire thing.”

Brochu asked why the final decision on the vehicle was made over the phone.

Town Manager Kristal Flagg replied that selectmen made a decision to spend no more than a certain dollar amount and to approach Bailey Brothers with a quote.

Flagg said the town waited until December until it had more money available, hence the decision to wait until then.

“Are you telling me you didn’t have to have a warrant to have that vote?” Brochu said.

She said she was disappointed with the board because she had put her trust in them to make the right decision for the town, and that trust had been violated. Brochu explained that when other towns do bids, they are opened and discussed in public, with the bidders present for a chance to explain their bids.

“The sad thing is, you have very few local businesses here,” she said. “We do more than pay taxes. We support the community.”

Selectmen admitted they made a mistake and that the town needed to tighten up the bidding process.

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Town Office closed

LIVERMORE FALLS — The Town Office will be closed Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday, Dec. 26.