| Joanne Cole |
The Select Board approved a slate of bid documents on Monday and tended to a raft of other typical business, but a meeting highlight was the introduction of new Fire Rescue Chief Ryan Patton to the board and community. Also welcomed was new Code Enforcement Officer Eric Cobb, a New Gloucester resident.
The other significant development at the May 19 meeting was the opening of bids and award of the contract for the Fairgrounds bathroom and storage facility project. Two bids were received by the deadline. One from Nealco Construction came in under budget, and the company was awarded the work.
New Fire Rescue Chief Ryan Patton. Interim Chief Hale Fitzgerald introduced Chief Ryan Patton with an anecdote that Fitzgerald said spoke to Patton’s commitment. While in town for an interview during a March snowstorm, Patton attended a department training that he didn’t have to, said Fitzgerald, and stayed until 11 at night talking to the members. “I think that commitment really speaks to his character and to what our town’s really looking for in a fit with the Fire Chief,” said Fitzgerald.
“It’s the enthusiasm of the men and the women who make up the new Gloucester Fire Rescue that has me so excited to be in this position,” Patton said. “I look forward to working with them working with the town and the department to ensure the residents and guests receive the best service possible from their fire department.”
To that end, Patton said he plans to use “transparency, open communication, and data-driven planning” to bring the community “the fire services you deserve.”
Patton told the board that he brings 20 years’ experience in the fire service, including for the town of Waterford, Connecticut, and with emergency services at the Groton, Connecticut, submarine base and the naval station in Newport, Rhode Island. Most recently, he served as emergency manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Connecticut, Patton said.
Patton thanked the town for the opportunity and expressed appreciation to Fire Rescue’s Hale Fitzgerald, Mary Rich, and Chris Gill for their work leading the department to a smooth transition.
When it was time for questions from the board, Vice Chair Stephen Hathorne asked with a smile, “What do you know about cooking chicken?” prompting laughter with a reference to Fire Rescue’s annual BBQ and open house. Patton was on it without missing a beat. He knew the event takes place in October and draws a crowd and said, while he likes to cook, he’s never done it at that scale. About the annual gathering, “It’s good meeting people and having events like that.”
Code Enforcement Officer Eric Cobb. Newly appointed Code Enforcement Officer Eric Cobb told the board that he was met with “37 voicemails and a couple hundred emails” on his first day. He has since whittled them down to zero, he said.
Cobb, a resident of New Gloucester, told the board he has 30 years’ construction as well as firefighting experience. The CEO role will be a new one for him, and he’s currently completing coursework for certification, he said. Gray’s Code Enforcement Officer and former New Gloucester CEO Rick Haas are providing support as Cobb transitions to his new role.
Fairgrounds Bathroom project clears bid hurdle. Bids for construction of the Fairgrounds bathroom and storage facility project were due before the meeting, but before opening them, the board had to decide whether to extend the time for bids. An issue with the posting of the RFP on the town website meant the project was not advertised as long as intended.
Members considered fairness to the companies that had submitted bids against the possibility of securing additional bidders through an extension. Opening the two bids in hand ultimately prevailed, after the board was assured that Legal said it was permissible to proceed under the circumstances.
Nealco Construction of Naples was lower bidder with a turnkey price of $249,000, within the $265,000 allocated for the project. The other bidder, Warren Construction Group of Topsham, came in at $350,336.
Parks and Recreation Director Sarah Rodriguez and Public Works/Buildings and Grounds Director Ted Shane were in the Meetinghouse to give Nealco’s submitted bid materials a once-over. With their thumbs-up, the board awarded the contract to Nealco, which has done past work for the town. The long-awaited project is slated to be completed by fall.
RFPs approved. After discussion and with a few clarifications, the board approved several RFPs for items voters funded at Town Meeting:
- A UTV for Fire Rescue with a forestry/rescue unit – a two-seater with an unit on the back for duel transport and fire functions
- A lawn tractor for the Cemetery Association
- A lawn tractor/mower for the Buildings and Grounds Department
- Refurb work for Fire Rescue’s Tank 2.
After discussion and with a draft RFP on the table, the board decided against soliciting bids for legal services. Instead, they chose to renew the Town’s contract with Preti Flaherty.
Workshop on Upper Village and other topics deferred. In a sign of the season, the board declined to set a date for a workshop with the Land Management Planning Committee to discuss next steps on Upper Village planning, housing, possible ordinance changes and other topics. The workshop will instead wait until two new Select Board members are seated following the June 10 election.
At the May 5 meeting, Select Board Chair Dustin Ward and member Donovan approved various election formalities for an election in which they’ll be voters, not candidates. They are stepping down after four years’ and six years’ service, respectively. Their final scheduled meeting comes on June 2, but at this meeting, both Ward and Donovan were already looking toward that transitional time.
Watch the video of the Select Board’s May 5, 2025, meeting at this link. Find contact information for Select Board members and links to meeting agendas, minutes and related documents at this link.
