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Authority drops grounds contractor, hires new lawn and snow firms; replaces heating contractor with Siemens
Summary
After multiple service failures, Cumberland Housing Authority ended a grounds-maintenance contract and hired new local firms for lawn care and snow removal; it also replaced a heating-service firm with Siemens for preventive maintenance and repairs under a three-year contract.
Cumberland Housing Authority staff told the board they terminated a contract with Hancock Equestrian after repeated problems with snow removal, salting and lawn maintenance, and have retained new local firms for lawn care and snow removal. The authority also replaced its heating-system contractor after a decline in preventive maintenance and multi-day furnace outages.
Staff reported multiple winter incidents in which Hancock Equestrian did not arrive promptly for storms, failed to salt parking areas as required and took several days to clear walkways behind buildings. In spring, the contractor mulched but did not mow for nearly six weeks and used leaf blowers for hours instead of bagging clippings, which disturbed residents and neighbors. Staff said Hancock’s contract expired on June 30 and the authority is moving to Lopez for lawn care and MB Contracting for snow removal under a three-year arrangement.
On heating maintenance, staff said the previous vendor, Thayer Corporation of Auburn, performed well when independently owned but underperformed after a sale to a larger company, with preventive maintenance missed and furnace outages lasting days rather than hours. "We decided that we wanted to terminate that contract as well. We signed a 3 year contract with Siemens, corporation out of Scarborough," staff reported. Siemens will provide preventive maintenance and has completed an assessment of the senior-housing heating systems; staff said Siemens will make corrective measures and begin preventive maintenance in August.
Board members praised the change on heating, noting that tenants without heat for multiple days is unacceptable. Staff said MB Contracting will also do some town road work during winter storms, which should improve responsiveness to senior-housing needs.
The board did not record a formal vote on the contractor transitions in the meeting minutes; staff reported the contracts were executed or expired under management authority and noted the town council had reviewed related contracts.
