Purchasing committee recommends council approve five procurement waivers including senior-center mini-splits and police rifles

The Lincoln Purchasing Committee met at 6:48 and recommended the City Council waive competitive bidding and award five procurement items to address immediate equipment and maintenance needs.

The committee approved a short‑term fix for heating problems at the senior center, recommending a $23,008.68 award to Automatic Temperature Controls Inc. charged to Senior Center Fund 66. A staff member said mineral deposits in the geothermal piping have left two frequently used rooms “literally going into, like, 58 to 62 degrees,” and described the ductless mini‑split units as a stopgap while the town seeks an estimated $350,000 replacement for the full HVAC system.

The committee also recommended awarding a $16,500 contract to Central Maine Pyrotechnics for the town’s Memorial Day fireworks, piggybacking on the City of Warwick’s procurement. The chair said a state grant of about $5,000 will offset part of the cost.

On police equipment, members recommended waiving bidding and approving a rifle purchase to Atlantic Tactical; trade‑in credits will cover the $8,430.80 listed cost so the town expects no net cash outlay. The purchase would add seven rifles to the department’s existing stock (29 on hand), increasing the number of officers with access to a rifle. Committee discussion noted this falls under an extension of the previously approved procurement authority and cited the governing procurement provision referenced in the meeting record.

The committee recommended awarding $11,007.94 to Northeast MDT for modems to equip four remaining patrol vehicles as the state moves to a new computer‑aided dispatch (CAD) system. Staff said the modems are needed so cruisers can connect to the new statewide CAD product and that funding will come from discretionary HIDTA‑related police equipment funds rather than the general budget.

Finally, the committee recommended awarding $26,450 to Veolia for electrical troubleshooting on the town’s SCADA system. Staff explained the work falls under additional services in an existing contract and includes monitoring, troubleshooting and corrective electrical repairs; costs will be charged to Sewer Fund 79. Committee members asked for clarity on whether alarm detection versus repair would be handled under the contract and were told troubleshooting and corrective actions are covered as additional services.

Motions to recommend the awards to the council were made and seconded for each item; the recorded responses in the meeting were “Aye.” The chair asked for public comment (none was recorded), and the committee adjourned after the votes. The recommended awards will be considered by the council in a future meeting.

Votes at a glance • Senior‑center mini‑splits — Vendor: Automatic Temperature Controls Inc.; Amount: $23,008.68; Fund: Senior Center Fund 66; Committee action: recommended to council (ayes recorded). • Memorial Day fireworks — Vendor: Central Maine Pyrotechnics; Amount: $16,500; Grant offset: $5,000 (state); Committee action: recommended to council (ayes recorded). • Police rifles — Vendor: Atlantic Tactical; Credit: $8,430.80 trade‑in credit; Funding: JAG fund referenced; Committee action: recommended to council (ayes recorded). • Patrol vehicle modems — Vendor: Northeast MDT; Amount: $11,007.94; Funding: HIDTA/discretionary police equipment funds; Committee action: recommended to council (ayes recorded). • SCADA electrical troubleshooting — Vendor: Veolia; Amount: $26,450; Fund: Sewer Fund 79; Committee action: recommended to council (ayes recorded).