Town hall elevator breaks down, repairs slated for this week

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Residents who need to access the second floor of the town’s municipal building will have to take the stairs for the next few days.
    According to Interim Town Manager Cathy O’Leary, the elevator in the municipal building failed Saturday when too many individuals entered the unit for a forum on free roaming cats held in the council chambers.
    An undetermined number of individuals were stuck inside the elevator Saturday for about 20 minutes, O’Leary said.
    The elevator, which provides access to the council chambers and the office of the town’s code enforcement officer, has been slowly deteriorating, occasionally failing to open its doors automatically when going up or down.
    The town council solicited bids back in March to do maintenance to the unit. Otis Elevator Company was chosen to perform repairs to the elevator at a cost of $43,275. O’Leary said that repair work was being delayed while the company waits for the appropriate parts. Otis Elevator Company, however, was expected to come to the town office either Tuesday or Wednesday to get the unit functioning on an interim basis, until the more complete repair work can be finalized.