FARMINGTON — At the meeting on Nov. 28, selectmen awarded the paving bid for 2024 to Maine-ly Paving Services LLC of Canaan.
“We received five responses for the 2024 paving bid program,” Public Works Director Philip Hutchins said.
Information provided showed bids included breakdowns for eight different program components. While Maine-ly’s price per unit for four of them were higher than some other companies, its total bid of $859,490.76 was the lowest overall, it indicated.
For the total paving program for next year Pike Industries submitted a bid of $894,377.84; Spencer’s was $920,790.64; St. Laurent’s bid was almost $1.09 million and Manzer’s was $893,664.41.
“The Maine Department of Transportation has had great luck with Maine-Ly on previous, similar size projects,” Hutchins noted. “Maine-ly has shown responsibility for meeting our bid criteria so far and has provided proof of insurance and also will provide a performance bond prior to starting the work.
“So far they have done a great job. They followed everything we have asked of them. All of the bidders are really responsive,” he stated.
When asked if Maine-ly had done work previously for Farmington, Hutchins said it is a fairly new company owned by Jamie Ward. Hutchins has dealt with Ward as project manager for other companies.
“We have had great luck with him,” he noted. “He will bend over backward for us.”
Hutchins said Ward was with Allstate the year Ski Slope and Webster roads had work done.
Paving mix with Maine-ly will be coming out of Auburn while the asphalt will come from locations in Auburn and Richmond, he noted.
“They are aware we are going to test the mix as it comes in for temperatures, densities,” Hutchins said.
“Jamie actually came out of Pike,” Erica LaCroix, who will begin as Farmington Town Manager on Monday, said. “When we went out to bid in Winslow last year, Maine-ly was the lowest bid by a significant amount. Pike vouched for him, said there was absolutely nothing bad they could say about him. His work is high quality.”
LaCroix noted on one project Ward wasn’t given time to get a crew together and was trying to do the entire project by himself. That was in no way reflective of his work but of timing, she said.
“I have heard good words about him,” she stated. “I have spoken with him. I trust his work with Pike. They had really good things to say about him. I thought that spoke quite well of his work.”
Project specifications were included in the bid packet and advertisements were placed regarding the program bids, Hutchins said when asked.
Selectman Dennis O’Neil asked about the paving schedule for 2024.
Holley Road and Main Street had originally been on the town’s 5-year paving program for 2024, but there is an opportunity for a state program to provide some of the funding for Main Street, Hutchins said. The process to be approved takes time, he noted.
Main Street will be pushed back to 2025, maybe 2026, “unless taxpayers decide that we want to pay for it out of our own local taxation funds,” Hutchins stated. Holley Road will also be pushed back, he said.
Davis, Weeks Mills and Maple Ave/Bailey Hill roads are on the schedule for 2024, Hutchins noted. Efforts are being made to keep the paving budget under $1 million, he said.
“It makes sense to do Davis Road,” Selectman Joshua Bell stated. “It is right there, you can access it easily from Bailey Hill Road. Logistics it’s easy to move the equipment down.”
Hutchins said it would save on mobilizing equipment, the road is rough.
Having a more consistent budget layout instead of the peaks and valleys that were seen in last year’s budget process was favored by Selectman Byron Staples.
Hutchins indicated the town’s five-year road plan would be updated.
Bell asked when final layers of paving would be done on roads where initial paving work had been completed.
Historically there has been a five year pattern, Hutchins said. “We put the [first layer] down, let it set up for five years, then five years later go back and do another course, which is the overlay,” he noted. “That allows another five, hopefully 15 years. I think that is a good strategy because you are buying longevity.”
Bell said some roads should be coming up again. “It has been a few years since we did Anson Street, Mosher Hill Road, some others,” he stated.
It’s been two years since the first phase on Titcomb Hill Road, Hutchins said. “That was 9,000 feet, we have another 9,000 feet to go which is very expensive,” he noted. Once both overlays are done the road will be put in a maintenance program instead of a construction one which means all the culverts are already there, he stated. If gravel and culverts aren’t needed prices should level out eventually and there won’t be spikes, he said.
“Bailey Hill, Weeks Mills, Davis and Holley roads are our biggest roads right now that are giant reconstruction projects,” Hutchins noted. “After that we should be looking back to do maintenance and developments as well. We are starting to get behind on developments. Developments don’t see a lot of traffic but they do have wear and tear.”
The long range road plan is subject to reconsideration each year depending on budget needs and the road conditions, Selectman Stephan Bunker said. “I expect to come back and tweak them again. It is nice for the general public to see where we are on that list.”
“It is kind of interesting to see this is our second year [awarding the paving bid the year prior to work being done],” Chair Matthew Smith noted. “It is catching on everywhere. Even the state is doing it now.”
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