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Select Board weighs cheaper incumbent support against $18,000 outside IT contract
Summary
The Town of Limerick reviewed competing proposals for system administration on Feb. 25, weighing a low-cost incumbent arrangement against a formal $1,500/month proposal from Information Systems of Maine; the board asked staff to request a formal bid from the incumbent and to advertise locally rather than make a decision at the workshop.
The Town of Limerick Select Board revisited its search for a system administrator on Feb. 25, focusing on two options: continuing with the incumbent who has informally charged $3,000 a year for 40 hours of service, or hiring an outside firm that proposed roughly $1,500 a month.
At a pre-meeting workshop, the chair summarized the competing terms: "the price for our current system administrator was 3,000 for the year and that covers 40 hours worth of work; any hour over 40 hours, it's $75 per hour," and that Information Systems of Maine "sent us this proposal back in early January" that would amount to about $18,000 annually and charge $125 per hour for in-person work. The workshop is advisory only and the board may not make a binding decision there.
Gail Libby, who raised contract-detail concerns, urged the board to "write the contract with Chris and ... tighten it up a little bit so we can get some service when we need it rather than waiting for 6 months to get a laptop set up or a year." Libby and other members emphasized adding response-time expectations and a clear list of covered services if the town stays with the incumbent.
Board members said the $18,000 figure is high for a small town and recommended two next steps: ask the incumbent to submit a formal, detailed proposal that specifies response timelines and scope, and advertise locally to see if a closer provider is available. The chair said staff will request a formal proposal from the incumbent and bring options back for deliberation at a future meeting; no formal procurement decision or vote was taken Feb. 25.
The discussion also noted practical service considerations: several board members said much of the work can be done remotely but that geographic proximity would help when on-site work is required and that the incumbent covers multiple towns and some seasonal commitments that limit immediate availability.
What’s next: The board directed staff to solicit a formal written proposal from the incumbent and to advertise the position locally. Any contract changes would be reviewed with the town attorney and returned to the board for official action at a later meeting.
