LIVERMORE FALLS — Several contracts were approved unanimously by selectmen at their May 8 meeting that will save the town money.
The bid from CH Stevenson for winter sand at $6.80 a yard was approved.
“We received three bids for winter sand,” Highway Foreman Bill Nichols said. Four bid requests were sent out, the following three were received, he noted.
Castonguay Sand and Gravel LLC, out of their pit in Canton which is 12.81 miles away submitted a bid of $6.75 per yard.
The bid from CH Stevenson out of the Livermore Falls pit on Route 106 – 7.1 miles away – was $6.80 a yard.
R.S. Pidacks, Inc. in Livermore gave a bid of $7 per yard – the same price as last year.
“Us, Jay and Wilton have decided we want to go with CH Stevenson because of the shorter haul,” Nichols said. “It’s a lot better sand. I talked with Adam Castonguay and he totally agreed that that’s a better deal.”
Fuel and time would offset the higher per yard fee, Chair William Kenniston said. “You will eat it up in hauling,” he added.
Selectmen approved a fuel contract with Winthrop Fuel Co.
Nichols said the price this year is $2.7325 per gallon, down from the $3.16 a gallon the company is currently charging. “It’s cheaper than what we had budgeted for,” he noted. When asked what the budgeted amount was, he said $3.16 a gallon.
“Wow,” Kenniston exclaimed. “Well, good news is good news.”
Nichols said Jay had also locked in at that price, Wilton may have. “We have been with them several years and have not had any issues,” he noted.
Selectmen also moved to award Transfer Station contracts to Maine Waste to Energy of Auburn.
“Our contract with ecomaine runs out in June, new cycle starts July 1,” Nichols said. Their new proposal was $130 a ton for MSW [municipal solid waste] and $130 a ton for recycling, he stated. Mid-Maine Waste Action Corporation in Auburn offered $105 per ton for both MSW and recycling with a five-year contract, he noted.
Hauling costs would go down to $214.50 per pull versus $346.50 per pull with ecomaine, Nichols said.
“That’s significant,” Selectman Bruce Peary stated.
Livermore Falls in the last three years had averaged about 52 loads of MSW and 17 of recycling annually, Nichols noted.
Bids from both companies are for five years, Town Manager Carrie Castonguay said. “Maine Waste did propose a three-year but it was more money [$110 per ton] for the shorter term,” she added.
Recycling markets have tanked, Nichols said.
“At least with Maine Waste to Energy they are burning everything and converting it to electricity so we are recycling that way,” Castonguay noted.
Kenniston asked what ecomaine is being paid now. Nichols told him $89.65 a ton.
The bid of Almighty Waste in Auburn for $214.50 per pull for both MSW and recycling was also approved by selectmen. Archie’s out of Mexico had proposed $298 per haul for both.
