MECHANIC FALLS — The wood pellet boiler that heats the Municipal Complex hasn’t worked for 10 months and the Town Council is not happy.
“What we have is a bad product and we can’t seem to get it fixed,” Councilman Stephen Bolduc said at Monday night’s meeting. “We must have some recourse here.”
Town Manager John Hawley told the council Monday that he is totally frustrated with the sort of service provided by the Czech Republic firm’s United States dealer.
After a delayed start getting the boiler operating, last March a small fire in the pellet feeder system damaged a few key parts.
It took several months working with Ron Kirkendorfer of Northline Energy of Lynnwood, Wash., to get the proper replacement parts ordered.
But now, Hawley reported, communications with Kirkendorfer have completely broken down.
Hawley said the parts needed to repair the boiler have been sitting in U.S. Customs in Boston since September and can’t be released until certified by a customs broker, who apparently can only be hired by Kirkendorfer.
Hawley said that in November he sent Kirkendorfer a check for $2,600 to cover the costs of the parts and to pay the customs broker.
“The check was cashed Nov. 27 with no response to date,” Hawley said. “The issue has been turned over to the Police Department.”
Police Chief Jeffrey Goss has tried several times to contact Kirkendorfer but, according to Hawley, to no avail.
Bolduc suggested that it might be time to get the town’s attorney involved.
Hawley said be believed Goss was going to go to the district attorney to see what the town might do.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Complex is being heated with oil.
“When we decided to go with the wood pellet boiler, we figured we could recoup the town’s $98,000 investment in the boiler in five years, given how much cheaper it should be using wood rather than oil,” Hawley said.
He noted that the town had budgeted $14,000 for oil, just in case problems repairing the boiler developed.
“To date, we’ve used some 3,100 gallons of oil and spent more than $10,000,” Hawley said.
Hawley said he was trying all avenues, including trying to get Sen. Susan Collins’ office involved because a federal grant for additional $98,000 secured through the Maine Department of Conservation and Forestry is tied up in the boiler.
In other business, the council met with Sanitary District Trustees and decided to invite Poland officials to a joint meeting to discuss their interest in extending the Mechanic Falls sewer system to Five Corners. The extension might service Poland’s developing Route 26 corridor and perhaps extend to the Oxford Casino as well.
Hawley also reported that the string of winter storms has used up 45 percent of the Public Works Department winter budget.
The council, following Nancy Richard’s lead, commended the department for the excellent job they have done on the roads under trying conditions.
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