HOULTON, Maine — The town’s police department will get a new cruiser to add to its fleet sooner rather than later after the Houlton Town Council agreed to waive the bid process for the acquisition.
Town Manager Eugene Conlogue informed the board that Yorks of Houlton could obtain a 2013 Ford Explorer for $26,683, which was less than what the town paid last year for a similar vehicle. Funding for the police cruiser was included in a five-year, $194,000 loan package approved March 25.
Conlogue explained that by including the cruiser in the loan package, the town had lost a “window of opportunity” to put the purchase out to the normal bid process and still have the vehicle before the fall.
The only local authorized dealer for police cruisers is Yorks of Houlton, Conlogue added. In fact, even with the bid process in place, all of the cruisers purchased during Chief Butch Asselin’s tenure have come from Yorks.
The town allocated $29,000 for the purchase of the cruiser in the loan package and therefore will have some extra funds left over by purchasing this vehicle. Council chairman Paul Cleary said numerous residents asked him why the police department needed Ford Explorers rather than cars.
“The difference is not a whole lot,” Asselin said. “They don’t make a Crown Vic anymore, so we would have to use a Taurus.”
Asselin said the Taurus was about $3,000-$4,000 less than the Ford Explorer, but had considerably less room inside the vehicle.
Councilor John White asked if the department would be able to make this vehicle last for five years, to which Asselin said “It would be nice if we could. I hope it does (last until 2018), but four years is the goal.”
The Houlton Police Department puts about 10,000 miles per month on its police cruisers, Asselin noted.
“I just don’t think we should be borrowing money on something for five years that’s not going to last for five years,” White said.
Two local residents — Phil Bernaiche and Mike Jenkins — spoke against waiving the bid process.
“We have a lot of dealers in town,” Bernaiche said. “The best thing to do is use everybody right and put it up for bid and whoever comes in the fairest, cheapest and will do the best work is the one you want.”
Jenkins noted that if the council agreed to waive the bid process, it would be the second time in the past year. He stated the town hired a company to provide maintenance to the rest area without ever putting that proposal out to bid. Going through the bid process is required by the town’s charter, he added.
Jenkins said he did not think the town should purchase a police cruiser as part of a five-year loan package, considering the vehicle in all likelihood would only be in service for three or four years.
“We’re borrowing money for five years, and out of that five years we are buying something that we are only going to use for three or four,” he said. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
The council voted 4-2 to authorize the town manager to waive the bid process. Councilors White and Phil Cloney opposed the plan.
In other town business, the council gave Conlogue its unanimous support to continue as the town manager, following the successful completion of his six-month probationary period.
Conlogue received unanimous support from the town council Monday evening following his six-month probationary period.
Councilors voted 5-0 to retain Conlogue’s services, and raised his base salary to $80,139.
During public comments, Bernaiche said while he agreed with the council’s decision to retain Conlogue after the probationary period, he did not agree with giving him a raise.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a victualer’s license to Micah Desmond, doing business as Amato’s on 127 North St.
• Renewed a liquor license for Milton Gervais, doing business as Shiretown Inn and Suites.
• Awarded a bid of $960,333 to Buildings Etc. of Houlton for Phase II of the North Street infrastructure program. The project, which was approved by voters, will extend water and sewer services on the North Road.
The town received seven total bids for the project. Unsuccessful bidder included: Sargent Corporation of Old Town, $1,056,780; Lou Silver Inc. of Veazie, $1,145,935; Ed Pelletier and Sons of Madawaska, $1,192,262; T-Buck Construction of Auburn, $1,195,200; Trombley Construction of Presque Isle, $1,293,810; and Soderberg Construction of Caribou, $1,616,600.
The next regular council meeting will be held Monday, April 22, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers.
