Local contractors may benefit
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The armory in Houlton could be getting new windows to the tune of $42,000 if the state comes up with an equal amount for the renovations according to Col. Don Lagace, deputy commissioner of the state’s Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.
“Of all the money that we have received from federal government, that is the one piece that requires a state match,” said Lagace of the more than $26 million in money for Maine’s military facilities. “We’re pretty confident that the department is going to get that money from the state, but that is just one stipulation. So, that is not 100 percent guaranteed that we’re going to be able to expend that money if we don’t get a state match.”
The government is pumping stimulus money into virtually all aspects of private and public endeavor to stir up economic activity through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Lagace says: “We have an outstanding list of projects that we want to complete — energy modernizations and updates and equipment upgrades and so forth — and this particular project for the Houlton Armory was part of an existing list that we had that would fall under the criteria that met the stimulus package.”
The armory, if the money comes through, will get new windows on the street side according to Department of Defense requirements, says Lagace. The Houlton project is a small one compared to other defense sites in the state. The total package for Maine’s National Guard is $1.1 million plus nearly $25 million for the Portsmouth Naval Yard.
Lagace says he does expect the Houlton money to come through and the job will be put out for bids with work to follow within three to six months. Local contractors can register to be vendors and participate in the normal bidding process by calling the State of Maine Division of Purchases, (207) 624-7340 or by going to the Web site: www.maine.gov/purchases.
