PERU — The Board of Selectmen signed a sand contract agreement during Monday night’s meeting for Knox Loam and Gravel to provide winter sand and salt to the town.

Selectmen first awarded the contract for winter sand to Knox Loam and Gravel of Rumford for $18,000 at the Aug. 26 selectmen’s meeting.

Last year’s supplier, R.A. Tibbetts Trucking of Wilton, bid $16,980. However, it was rejected after resident Warren Oldham complained there had been too many oversized rocks in last winter’s sand and questioned whether the amount agreed upon had been delivered.

Selectman Larry Snowman said during the Aug. 26 meeting that he found 2- to 2½-inch rocks in his yard after his road was sanded last winter.

The specifications require the sand to be processed through a ½-inch screen.

Road Commissioner Joe Roach, who was not at the board meeting, left a message for selectmen that the price of salt is “down about $8 from last year,” which brings the price for 2013 to $56.46 per ton.

In other business, selectmen voted 5-0 to table discussion on whether or not to approve a junkyard permit application for JC Demolition Recycling.

Chairman Jim Pulsifer said the board would wait to hear from the Planning Board before making any decisions about the junkyard permit.

“We need to wait to hear from the Planning Board and see what sorts of things that JC Demolition needs to do before awarding them the permit,” Pulsifer said.

Resident Larry Porter said there was a big list of things that JC Demolition said they were going to do.

Another resident said the junkyard permit was contingent on whether or not they would fix a number of things on the lot, including plugging the dykes, putting drains in the parking lot and removing debris.

Pulsifer said the board would contact the Planning Board before making a decision.

The board also approved a building permit for James Poirier of 155 Gammon Road to build a 12- by 14-foot woodshed.

Shortly before the meeting adjourned, Porter told selectmen that Dixfield resident Roland Tyler had used Jersey barriers that he would be willing to sell to the town.

During the Sept. 3 board meeting, the selectmen had voted to table discussion on whether to use Jersey barriers or a series of big rocks to protect a gas tank behind the Town Office.

Pulsifer told Porter that the Board of Selectmen had “decided to go with big rocks instead of Jersey barriers.”

Selectman Danny Wing told Pulsifer that “it wouldn’t hurt to check out the barriers.”

Pulsifer said he agreed and the board voted to check on Tyler’s Jersey barriers before installing a rock barrier behind the Town Office.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com