By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The economic environment has warmed up in Maine with more contractors busy with work.

Inadvertently, this trend means that the fire station and the maintenance building might be a bit chilly until the furnaces are replaced by the deadline date of December.

The Town of Naples sought to solicit bids from nine different companies in the region. Although three conducted on-site inspections, only one returned the bid.

On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen awarded the bid to Gagnon Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., of Bridgton.

The bid price of $42,825 for the three furnaces was higher than what the town budgeted for the expected replacements. Therefore, the selectmen voted, 3–0, to accept the bid and to instruct the town manager to find additional funding.

According to Naples Town Manager John Hawley, “We only budgeted $35,000 for these three systems.”

Where the additional money [$7,825] to cover the total bid price would come from had not been determined as of Monday night. 

Later, Hawley said, “We cannot take out of undesignated funds because we didn’t have a warrant article to do that.”

Selectman Jim Turpin asked about the building maintenance budget for the fire department.

“Is there anything in the general maintenance budget that would cover this? I know we set money aside to maintain the fire department every year,” he said.

“Perhaps, the fire department can find the money elsewhere,” Turpin said.

Chairman Jim Grattelo made the motion “to spend the $35,000 for this and have the town manager figure out where to take the other money from.”

The breakdown of the cost for the replacements of the furnaces is as such: $27,090 for the primary furnace in the fire station; $9,860 for the second furnace in the fire station; and $5,875 for the furnace in the maintenance building.

The deadline date for the work to be completed is Dec. 30, according to the bid paperwork.

Hawley said space heaters could be used if needed.

Also, while on the agenda item, the board discussed more energy-efficient models of furnaces as well as the bid climate.

Grattelo asked, “Did we look into converting to propane?”

Later he said he was surprised that the town was not updating the furnace.

Bob Caron II said, “Some of the newer ones on the market” are really energy-efficient.

There was a discussion about natural gas-burning furnaces but the natural gas lines end around the boundary of Raymond and Windham.

The other topic of low bid responses came up twice during the meeting.

Chairman Grattelo asked for a list of the nine businesses that the town tried to solicit.

“Did anyone else say why they didn’t bid?” Grattelo asked

Hawley answered, “One said they had so much work.”