| Joanne Cole |
A paving contract and possible change in transfer stations hours were the sole agenda items for a special meeting of the board of selectmen on Wednesday, September 9.
Paving was the main event. Contractor representatives were on hand via Zoom as board chair Karen Gilles wielded the letter opener and read aloud each of five bids to pave the North Pownal Road (Winsaw Road to the Pownal line) and outer Cobbs Bridge Road (railroad tracks to the Auburn line). Voters in July approved a 2020-21 paving budget of $290,750, with these two projects topping public works’ wish list.
Bids ranged from a high of $318,174 to a low of $264,072 from Pike Industries. Puzzlement reigned briefly as the bid from All States Asphalt was read, seemingly offering a quote for a chip seal-type job, instead of the asphalt overlay the bid documents called for.
After hearing the bids, the board unanimously requested a recommendation from public works director Ted Shane and town staff. Shane was at town hall, ready to examine the opened bids, with the goal of settling on a contractor that evening. After reviewing All States’ bid documents more closely, Shane told the board that its details reflected the correct, desired materials and work. He recommended that All States, second-low, be awarded the contract for $273,600.
Linda Chase asked why director Shane was not recommending the low bid, with potential savings of $9,528. Shane responded that the town “didn’t have a good experience” with Pike Industries on the Penney Road some years back, while recent work with All States—Tufts Road, Bennett Road, Black Point Road, and Sunset Shores—had been very positive. George Colby added that he’s also been impressed with the quality of All States’ work. Another factor in Shane’s thinking: All States had been willing to offer a public price to the town before the board decided to formally solicit bids.
Peter Bragdon called the $9500 price difference between Pike and All States “significant” and potentially useful for other needed work. Nevertheless, Shane’s recommendation carried the day, and the board voted 4-1 (Bragdon) to award the contract to All States for $273,600. Shane said the firm expects to complete the paving this fall, the timetable the board and public works department had hoped for.
In the interlude while Shane pored over bid documents, the board considered possible new hours for the transfer station. As outlined by town manager Brenda Fox-Howard, the plan would keep the total hours as-is but open earlier each day. The transfer station would open at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, instead of the current 9 a.m. In addition, the plan would shift Friday hours from the current 9 to 2 to 7 am to noon.
Fox-Howard developed the plan in consultation with transfer station staff, who were in complete agreement with it, she said. Heavy traffic on Saturday mornings, quiet in the weekday 6 to 7 pm closing hour, and citizen requests for earlier start times were key considerations.
After considerable speculation about what hours community members would prefer, the board decided to give them a chance to weigh in. The topic of transfer station hours will be revisited at a regular board meeting with an opportunity for public comment.
The board’s next scheduled meeting is Monday September 21 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Agendas and supporting documents can be accessed here.
