Finance committee advances sewer, sidewalk contracts and waives bid process after executive session

The Bangor City Finance Committee on July 20 voted to advance several staff-recommended procurement actions, including forwarding a $933,000 sewer underpass contract and a $308,775 sidewalk contract to the full city council for final action.

Jeff Davis, director of engineering, told the committee the sewer project will place about 475 feet of 20-inch fusible sewer pipe under the interstate near the Bangor Mall/Hogan Road area to add capacity for that sewer sub-basin. "The bid is for $933,000," Davis said, and staff recommended awarding the contract to DBU Construction, the only bidder the department received for the work.

Councilor Beck pressed for budget context and whether the work was linked to federal ARPA deadlines, noting, "we have a deadline by the end of this year to spend ARPA funds." Davis said the award covers phase one of a multiphase plan to relieve the aging "Kmart pump" station and that the fall schedule aligns with ARPA spending timelines.

On a separate item, Davis recommended awarding sidewalk work on Alden/Olin Road to LZT Services for $308,775. The project will fill roughly a half-mile gap between Hammond Street and the existing sidewalk; Davis said seven bids were received ranging from about $308,000 to $557,000 and that funding is roughly split 50% municipal and 50% state via the Maine DOT BACS UPI grant.

Committee members moved and seconded staff recommendations to forward both the sewer and sidewalk awards to the full council for final consideration. Committee action to forward the items is a procedural step; the full council will take final award action.

The committee also voted to enter executive session under 1 MRSA section 4056 c to discuss acquisition and use of real property where premature disclosure could prejudice the city's bargaining position; Councilor Beck made the motion and the roll call returned affirmative votes. After returning from executive session, the committee accepted staff's recommendation to waive the bid process on a water-quality item.

Finally, the committee tabled a workout-agreement follow-up to the next finance meeting because the city treasurer, who has been handling the item, could not attend. With no further business the finance committee adjourned at 7:47 p.m.

What happens next: the two procurement recommendations will appear on the next full council agenda for final action; the waived bid item and the workout-agreement follow-up will return to the finance committee in future sessions.