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Council tables Bates Street bid after questions about contractor choice and timing
Summary
The Millinocket Town Council tabled Order 168 — the proposed award of the Bates Street improvement bid to Brown Construction for $1,894,110 — after councilors and the public pressed for outreach to Sargent Corporation and clarification from the Maine DOT about timing and funding. The council will revisit the item at its next meeting.
The Millinocket Town Council voted to table action on Order 168, the proposed award of the Bates Street improvement project, after discussion about contractor choice, price differences and funding timing.
The council reader announced that the bid opening on July 1 produced two offers: Brown Construction at $1,894,110 and Sargent Corporation at $2,368,750, and the order as drafted recommended awarding the contract to Brown Construction.
The town manager said staff was "shockingly pleased with both of the bids" and that the Brown bid brought the project back into the original budget range. He added that there is an outstanding conversation with the Maine Department of Transportation about a portion of the funding and that, while the project likely would not start this summer, DOT approval could allow the town to buy materials ahead of a spring start.
A councilor raised the price difference and asked whether Sargent understood the project would not begin this year. Another councilor told the body, "They're the best in the state, and you get what you pay for," and urged staff to contact Sargent to ask whether their price could change if equipment were already on-site. The manager said outreach could be done and that waiting until the next meeting should not drastically affect the timeline.
The chair moved to table Order 168 until the next council meeting; the motion was seconded and carried with no opposition. The council instructed staff to follow up with Sargent Corporation and continue conversations with the Maine DOT; the award recommendation will return for a future vote.
Why it matters: Bates Street is a multi‑million‑dollar public works project; the council’s decision to table preserves time to confirm funding details with DOT and to seek additional contractor input before making a final award.
Next steps: Staff will contact Sargent Corporation and report back to the council at the next meeting; the council deferred any contract award until that follow-up is complete.
