JAY — Selectmen voted Monday to enter into two, three-year union contracts that give highway and office staff raises.
Both the Teamsters Union representing highway workers, and the United Steel Workers representing office workers, will receive a 1 percent increase in the first year, and 1.5 percent increases in each of the second and third years of the contract.
Both contracts will run retroactively from July 1 to June 30, 2013, Town Manager Ruth Cushman said.
Two other Teamster contracts, representing Sewer Department and Transfer Station employees, are in mediation, she said.
The Police Department contract is still being negotiated.
In other business, Cushman said that Justin Merrill is the only candidate to take out papers to fill the remaining two years on former Selectman Warren Bryant’s seat. Bryant resigned in August.
The town will hold a special election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the seat.
Selectmen also voted to allow police Chief Larry White Sr. to see if Bailey Bros. dealership of Livermore Falls will meet the bid of Quirk dealership in Augusta for a 2012 Ford Expedition at $28,092. There is only about $800 separating the two with Bailey Bros.’ bid at $28,889.25.
If Bailey Bros. objects to it, then the board authorized White to go with Quirk.
Selectman Tom Goding and McCourt said they would like to buy locally.
The bids were figured differently, with Bailey Bros. offering more credit for a trade-in and a fleet incentive, Chairman Steve McCourt said.
Quirk’s bid offered a lower cost on the base bid but not as much of a trade-in.
White had also received bids on a Ford Inceptor but when the board asked which he preferred, he said, he would like to go with the Expedition because it was a proven vehicle and they were low maintenance.
The Interceptor will not come on the market until January 2012, he said.
In another matter, selectmen also approved the Fire Department spending up to $10,292 from its $52,000 capital account to make repairs and pay two bills.
The two bills from Reliance Equipment totaled $5,642 to make repairs on Engine 3 and 1, so that they would pass state inspection standards.
White, who is also Public Safety director, said the needed work was unexpected.
The other money to come out of the capital account is up to $3,000 to replace eight rear tires on the ladder truck. The tires have never been replaced since the truck was bought in 1997, White said. Town mechanics will do the tire work in October to save tread on the tires until colder weather. Mechanics said the two front tires were fine on the truck, White said.
Up to $1,650 will be used from the account to $1,650 to make repairs at the No. 2 Fire Station in the southern part of town. The work will include re-pointing some of the exterior of the building, repairing stress cracks and fixing a ramp so water will run away from the building instead of into it.
Adams Masonry of East Jay submitted the lowest price for the work.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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