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Orono council approves bond orders and $3.54M GMP for police station; library campaign close to goal
Summary
The Orono Town Council approved bond orders to finance sewer upgrades, a police station and library improvements and unanimously approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $3,538,761 with Benchmark Construction for the police station. Library fundraising totals $8,330,000, leaving about $289,792 to reach the private fundraising goal.
The Orono Town Council on July 13 approved a slate of capital actions: bond orders to finance sewer improvements, the new public safety building and a library expansion, plus a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contract for the police station project.
Council approved Order 26145 (sewer system improvements), Order 26146 (public safety building/police station) and Order 26147 (library improvements) by unanimous votes. Council also approved an ordinance (Order 26161) implementing the bonded capital improvements as required under the town charter.
On the construction side, the council authorized Order 26156, allowing the town manager to execute a guaranteed maximum price of $3,538,761 with Benchmark Construction for the new police station at 56 Main Street. Chief Merrill and Benchmark’s Jason Dendresco presented designs, landscaping/parking plans and a tentative schedule (construction start as early as August with turnover targeted the following June). Jason said the contractor anticipates completing the project on budget; Chief Merrill said the design maximizes available space and preserves mature trees where feasible.
During the public hearing and actions, James Jackson Sanborn of the Orono Public Library Foundation told the council the private capital campaign has raised $8,330,000 from 468 donors (445 individuals, 12 businesses, 4 foundations and 7 nonprofits) and that the foundation expects to raise the remaining roughly $289,792 by the end of July through a 31-days-of-giving push.
Other actions: council moved smaller but consequential items including: authorizing a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application and matching funds for Martin Park (Order 26149); transferring a $2,700 annual Helen Park Trust distribution to the library construction account (Order 26148); authorizing $65,500 in overlay reconciliations to balance the fiscal 2027 budget (Order 26157); transferring $35,116 from GovDeals receipts to a public works capital reserve (Order 26154); and approving personnel and routine property items, including confirmation of the Public Works Director (Order 26151). Several items citing statutory authority for forfeited-property transfer referenced 15 MRSA provisions as listed in the packet.
Votes at a glance:
- Order 26145 (sewer system bond) — approved unanimously. - Order 26146 (public safety building bond) — approved unanimously. - Order 26147 (library bond) — approved unanimously (6–0). - Order 26156 (GMP with Benchmark Construction, $3,538,761) — approved unanimously. - Order 26161 (ordinance approving bonded capital improvements) — approved unanimously. - Order 26160 (call public hearing for an additional $1M authorization) — passed 6–1 (see separate article on the fund-balance debate).
Next steps: staff will proceed with contract execution and public notices; the library foundation and town staff will continue bid preparation and fundraising outreach. The council also asked staff to present a comparative financing analysis at the Aug. 10 hearing regarding the proposed additional $1 million for the public safety building.
