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Trustees briefed on vacuum truck delivery and funding strategy for river crossing project
Summary
Board members were told the district’s new vacuum truck is due Sept. 24; staff described pending state and federal funding applications, possible Maine Bond Bank loans, and contingency for rising bid prices.
District staff reported the utility’s new vacuum truck has completed preparation and was scheduled for delivery and inspection on Sept. 24, and trustees heard updates about several infrastructure funding applications, including a state loan through the Maine Bond Bank and a pending northern border grant application.
"The vacuum truck is finished. It's on its way to Maine, and then they take a little bit of time to check it out. And then they're scheduled to bring it on September 24," a staff member said. Staff also said the vac truck crews were using the old truck to clean lines while the new unit was en route.
On a larger multi-project loan application, staff said the district had reapplied for a 2025 CDS application at a higher amount by adding a redundant river crossing to the scope. Staff said Senator Collins’ office had paused the 2025 requests and that the full original request (about $3,288,000, as described in the meeting) would have left a large loan portion. To limit debt exposure, staff said they removed the least-critical item from the package and planned to pursue other funding (including a possible northern border grant) to reduce borrowing.
Staff also described adding contingency to budget estimates after bidders' prices came in higher than expected. "If prices continue to climb the way they are, we may need some extra," staff said; the board heard staff propose adding about 10% contingency to the loan request to avoid having to return later for more funding after bids open.
Trustees were told the district had an outstanding question about a generator: staff said contact at MEMA had not responded because of a high workload and the generator’s status remained uncertain. No final funding decisions were made at the meeting; staff said the Maine Bond Bank review and any invitations related to grant competitions were expected within about a month.
