Board: Lisbon Town Council

Met: Tuesday

Winter sand

Issue: Each year the town seeks bids to provide sand to the Public Works Department for the upcoming winter season.

Scoop: Carl Houston, a local contractor was awarded the contract to provide winter sand on his bid of $9,600. The only other bidder was Duke Gravel Inc. of Lewiston at $8,800. Factoring in traveling out of town and labor, it was determined that Houston’s bid was the least expensive for the town.

Building work

Scoop: Hascell and Hall of Portland was awarded the contract to repoint and seal walls at the solid waste building on its bid of $17,613. An inspection of the building by bidders revealed a leaking roof, which will have to be addressed before the walls. The firm agreed to hold its bid price until spring after the leaking roof has been fixed.

General assistance

Scoop: On the recommendation of general assistance Director Judy Hardy-Goddard, it was voted to adopt the higher general assistance rent guidelines used in Sagadahoc County, rather than those recommended by the state, which did not reflect rental costs in Lisbon.

Streetlights

Issue: Councilors heard a request from residents seeking streetlights in their neighborhood. Interim Town Manager David Brooks was directed to look into the issue and report back to the council.

Former school

Issue: The community development director made a presentation on the town’s former school on Campus Avenue.

Scoop: Instead of heating the entire unused facility, only the section where the water comes in will be winterized and heated this coming season.

Pit purchase

Scoop: Following a presentation by the Water Commission, councilors agreed to a proposal that the commission move forward with an appraisal of Dragon Pit and enter negotiations with the owner to buy it.

Miscellaneous

Scoop: The annual audit of town books is under way and expected to be completed within two months; local accessed television broadcasts of Tuesday night council meetings will be moved from Wednesday to Thursday nights, beginning with the Nov. 20 meeting that will be aired on Nov. 22; plans are under way for school consolidation meetings with SAD 75 in Topsham to be aired on Great Falls TV, on either Saturday or Sunday. A retirement party is planned for longtime Finance Director Rodney Moody on Nov. 30.

Appointments

Phil Levesque was named to the Technology Committee and Councilor Fern LaRochelle to the Steering Committee, with Councilor Dale Crafts as his alternate.

– Connie Footman