Dover-Foxcroft fire station boiler to be replaced

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department’s station will be ready for colder weather with both boilers in a dual system to be replaced in August after one was recently lost.

“I guess the timing is good because as soon as it got warm enough not to need the boilers, one of them went down,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said during a select board meeting on Monday evening. 

In the spring, the fire department lost one boiler in the 23-year old dual system for the downtown station. The town solicited quotes from the two vendors in town to replace both boilers and A.E. Robinson submitted a $37,220 proposal. The cost would be split 50/50 between fire station capital and contingency money.

Clukey said the A.E. Robinson price would be good through the end of the month, and then would have increased 8 percent. He said the company is looking to install the boilers in August.

“So it would be well before the heating season at the best price we could get,” he said.

In other business, the select board approved an abandoned property decision and order with notice to correct for 284 East Main St. The property owner now has 30 days to remedy the problems or the town will then have the ability to act on the parcel. 

Clukey said Code Enforcement Officer Brian Gaudet and Dani Buschmann of the code enforcement office have tried to address issues at 284 East Main St., which according to deeds is owned by Chad Cotta who was not present at the June 20 public hearing after being served with a notice.

The town manager said neighbors have complained about a potential rat infestation. The order specifies that numerous openings in the buildings on the property have become an attraction to vermin. Based on Buschmann’s testimony, the property has been abandoned and is unfit for occupancy due to significant deterioration and inadequate maintenance.

The select board approved a $219,488 bid by Caldwell Diesel — the lowest of three and recommended by the public works committee — for a plow truck.

Clukey said municipalities have a wait of about a year for vehicles such as plow trucks, due to supply issues and other delays. He said the Caldwell Diesel should be delivered in time for part of next year’s gravel season and the 2023-24 plow season.

The town manager said a new wheeler plow truck ordered in June 2021 will be delivered next month and should be in service by late August.

For the first time since before the pandemic in 2019, the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival will return to downtown Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday, June 25.

Clukey said event organizer Patrick Myers met with him and Police Chief Matt Grant to go over the traffic plan, which will be the same as was in place three years ago. East Main Street will again be blocked off for the festival from Court and Pleasant street intersections to the Route 7 intersection. Detours and local traffic access only provisions will be in place, no-parking signs will be posted around the festival area and signage will direct attendees to parking at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds for shuttle service to and from downtown.

Two weeks prior to the Fourth of July, a reminder of the town’s fireworks ban was mentioned. 

Grant said the department has received complaints. “It is an ordinance and it certainly is enforceable,” he said.

The police chief said if issues happen, the department is happy to be made aware of potential problems and officers will do their best to head these off.