JAY — Selectpersons voted Monday to speak with the two low bidders to remove and replace roof shingles on the public works storage barn.

Before awarding the contract, selectpersons said they want to know the labor rates and sheathing costs in case rotten wood is discovered on the roof.

The 50-by-100-foot barn was built in 1977, and the shingles are believed to be original. The roof is leaking badly. The town bought the barn in 1998 for $100,000.

Selectpersons opened four sealed bids covering four options: remove shingles and re-shingle; re-shingle over existing shingles; remove shingles and install metal roofing; or put strapping over existing shingles and install a metal roof.

The bids came from as far as Pennsylvania.

The low bidders: Crapotts Inc. of Livermore Falls, with a bid of $18,300, and Williams Roofing Co. of Waterville, with a bid $18,560 for the option the board chose to move forward on.

In other matters, selectpersons voted 4-1 to accept the bid by Tony Couture, owner of Precision Tanks Inc. in Jay, for $14,815 to replace the PetroVend system on the fuel tanks at the public works garage. The system, which is more than 20 years old, need be replaced, Director John Johnson told the board.

Selectpersons Judy Diaz, Keith Cornelio, Chairman Terry Bergeron and Vice Chairman Tim DeMillo voted in favor of accepting Couture’s price. Selectperson Gary McGrane opposed it.

The PetroVend system allows the town to track how much each department is using for fuel, so the proper department is billed. It also provides other critical controls, according to Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere. 

The town entered into a five-year agreement with Regional School Unit 73 in 2016 to allow the district to use the town’s fueling facility for vehicles. RSU 73 pays an annual $1,000 maintenance fee and a 7 1/2 cent surcharge per gallon on all fuel used.

Couture is the town’s current vendor and has previously installed the above-ground tanks and PetroVend system. The current system’s technology is more than 20 years old and parts are limited. It is running older software.

Couture was asked for a cost to replace the system about a month ago. He has consistently been the low bidder on work related to the fuel system, Public Works Director John Johnson said.

The project was not required to go out to bid.

The town’s policy that deals with requests for proposals, quotes and bids does not have a dollar amount threshold when something needs to go out to bid. The town’s internal control document requires the town manager to take an item to selectpersons if the cost is expected to exceed $2,500.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Jay has received four bids to replace the roof on a 50-by-100-foot barn used by public works for storage. Selectpersons opened the bids Monday night. (Sun Journal File Photo)

Jay has received four bids to replace the roof on a 50-by-100-foot barn used by public works for storage. Selectpersons opened the bids Monday night. (Sun Journal File Photo)