Demolition bid awarded for dangerous building in Dexter
DEXTER — Demolition work to remove the remaining structure of a fire-damaged home at 85 High St. will be carried out by Wyman Construction of Dexter. The Town Council accepted the firm’s low bid of $13,500 during a meeting on Nov. 10.
“The house is burnt and we put it out to bid in September,” Town Manager Trampas King said. He said per the town attorney’s recommendation, the awarding of bids was delayed until the November meeting.
Wyman Construction had the low bid of two offers, with the other coming in at $21,500.
Last month a formal dangerous building order was declared for the structure at 85 High St..
“This building can’t be fixed,” Code Enforcement Officer Al Tempesta said during an Oct. 14 public hearing held as part of the dangerous building declaration process. “It’s a dangerous building in danger of collapsing and kids playing around it could get hurt.”
The home was destroyed by a fire in the fall of 2020.
According to the minutes of the August council meeting, King reported property owner Katrina Mitchell of Orrington cannot afford to have the site cleaned up and this is not fair to neighbors. A lien can be placed on the parcel after cleanup.
Thirty days were in place for the site to be cleaned up after the Oct. 14 meeting, after which the council could vote to proceed with taking corrective action.
In other business, King said there was a very good turnout on Election Day.
On Nov. 2 Dexter residents cast a total of 1,043 votes, between 816 heading to the polls and 227 voting absentee. The 1,043 represents a turnout percentage of 40 percent among the 2,590 registered voters in the community.
For the Dexter Town Council, Adam Briggs and Levi Ladd were both elected to three-year terms with totals of 609 and 472 votes, respectively. Briggs and Ladd had the highest numbers among five candidates.
Current Council Chairperson Marcia Delaware and Councilor Steve Gudroe both have terms expiring Nov. 30. Delaware has reached Dexter’s term-limit policy prohibiting council members from serving more than two consecutive three-year terms. Gudroe opted to not seek re-election after his three-year term.