SABATTUS — The Board of Selectmen announced Tuesday evening that All States Asphalt has not been paid for recent paving because the company violated the contract and the work is less than satisfactory.
Board Chairman Mark Duquette said selectmen were incredibly displeased with the job. He said All States Asphalt violated the contract with the town by subcontracting some of the work without prior permission and not finishing the work by Nov. 2 as agreed.
The board awarded the $547,069 contract in July. Work was done on Litchfield and Williams roads, the public works lot and the transfer station lot, but not in time or to expectations, according to board members.
“There’s already a pothole on Williams Road,” Town Manager Anthony Ward said, “caused by there not being enough base.” He said it has already been patched.
Duquette said there has been other patchwork, too, and it isn’t very professional. “A lot of the patches are higher than the actual road,” he said.
Selectman Guy Desjardins said he has also received complaints from residents of piles of tar left on their yards.
“I don’t know where we go with this, but our attorney needs to take a look,” Desjardins said. “The contract has been violated.”
Ward said he has written a letter to the paving company and the town’s attorney addressing all the town’s concerns.
In other business, the board also discussed the issue of mold in the fire station on Crowley Road.
The town recently paid $27,000 to get rid of dangerous mold at the Main Street station, and would need to dip into its emergency fund again to fix the Crowley Road station.
Ward said he doesn’t have an estimate yet, but wanted to discuss the issues with the board. He did say the Crowley Road mold work would be substantially less than $27,000, but it would still be a hit to the budget.
The board agreed that without a way to control moisture in the stations, it would keep coming back.
“I know we have to do the work, but I’m just discouraged,” Desjardins said. “How do we fight this moisture issue? Or will it keep coming back?”
Ward said that would be a more long-term discussion, but removing the mold is needed soon.
The board also announced a special town meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Town Hall to vote on discontinuing an unused section of old Route 9.
Pat Cyr, owner of Sabattus Auto Sales, is in the process of buying land from the Maine State Turnpike authority, but the town needs to officially vote to discontinue the road before the sale is final.
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