LISBON — The Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to seek a bond for up to $650,000 to repair the Burrough Road bridge and approved hiring an assistant town manager.
No one spoke at the public hearing before the council’s vote. Councilor Harry Moore was absent.
The measure will be on the Nov. 7 ballot.
The Burrough Road bridge was damaged during a May 2 storm, according to Town Manager Glenn Michalowski. A temporary bridge was constructed and needs to be replaced.
Town officials have requested U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Lewiston, to seek federal funding for the project but has not gotten a response yet.
If the town does not get that money, it will need the bond, Michalowski said. The 30-year loan would pay for designing and permitting, repairs, replacements and improvements, according to documents from an Aug. 15 meeting.
In other business, councilors approved Sarah Bennett as assistant town manager starting Sept. 18. She previously worked for Sagadahoc County’s Emergency Management Agency and the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, giving her about 17 years combined experience working for public service agencies, according to an Aug. 29 news release. She holds a master’s degree in public administration.
“We are excited to welcome Sarah to our team,” Michalowski said in a news release. “Her extensive experience in public service and her dedication to community engagement will undoubtedly make a lasting impact on the Town of Lisbon.”
Councilors also accepted a $67,500 bid from Electrical Systems of Maine to purchase a new portable diesel generator to help power nine of the town’s 12 pump stations for the Sewer Department. It will replace the current generator, which is more than 40 years old and does not meet emissions standards, according to Superintendent Steve Aievoli. It has become increasingly difficult to find parts for the old generator, which will likely be auctioned off.
Electrical Systems of Maine was the only one of eight companies that requested paperwork for bidding that followed through, Aievoli said.
In a unanimous decision, councilors also approved a new ordinance for erosion and sedimentation control and construction sites. There was little discussion among councilors before they approved the first reading of it.
Councilor Raymond Robishaw expressed interest in including fees for contractors so expenses related to requirements are not put on taxpayers.
The ordinance is a state requirement, according to Michalowski. It complies with the state’s Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System program.
It is intended to manage and reduce pollutants into stormwater runoff and prevent harmful pollutants from being washed into municipal stormwater systems, then discharged into local waterways without treatment, Robishaw said.
Councilors approved the second reading of changes to the town charter, allowing School Committee elections to be held the second Tuesday in June, along with the budget validation referendum, instead of at the November general election. The amendments need to be approved by residents at this year’s general election.
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