Construction to begin on office roof

PERU- Selectmen received three bids for the replacement of the town office roof and have decided to go with Mainely Builders of Gorham, at a bid of $23,600, with the materials list from Twin Rivers quoted at $33,680, for a total project cost of $61,162.

Earlier this year, citizens voted to allow selectmen to raise $30,000 for the roof and entrance/exit doors to be replaced, and to take another $30,000 from surplus. With the overage on the project, selectmen have placed a request on the November ballot to allow them to take up to an additional $5,000 from surplus to cover the costs of construction. Selectmen noted that the cost will come in under the requested amount, but wanted to be safe.

When the bids were first presented to selectmen they were missing quotes for the doors. Selectmen asked the bidders to come back and place a secondary bid to include the entrance/exit doors.

“We need to get the doors replaced before winter,” noted Selectman Laurieann Milligan. “It’s going to be a cold, cold winter and we lose a lot of money by having those doors stay in place. I believe we are going to save a bundle if we get the doors done and can keep the heat in.”

Selectmen voted unanimously to put the question on the ballot, with Selectman Dickie Powell abstaining, “We had until September 15 to get the question on there.”

Mainely Builders will begin construction on the roof as the trusses are completed, which is projected to be around October 10.