Sangerville town manager is back on the job
SANGERVILLE — Sangerville Town Manager Brian Mullis is back on the job after being on medical leave for much of 2026.
Select Board members learned of his return as town manager and road commissioner during a May 27 meeting.
“I think that’s basically just an announcement because you never really left,” Select Chair Jeff Peters said.
Town Clerk Michelle Nichols, who has worked for Sangerville since September 2023 and had been in Guilford for 30 years prior, served as interim town manager in Mullis’ absence. She will go back to her role as town clerk.
Mullis came to Sangerville in September 2024.
He thanked the select board, Nichols, Deputy Town Clerk Kelsey Ring, Fire Chief Matt Blockler and Code Enforcement Officer Lance Burgess for all the hard work “that was done here on behalf of my unexpected absence.”
“It was great to have the support and everything in this community. Thank you all,” Mullis said.
He is catching up with Nichols and Ring.
In other business, the board awarded a bid for paving .7 miles of the Flanders Hill Road to Pine Industries. The company’s approximate $108,000 bid was the lowest of three.
“The select board and road committee felt Pike had the most complete bid as to what was asked and they provided the lowest price,” Mullis wrote in a post on the town Facebook page.
The plan includes paving the gravel section of that road with two inches of binder pavement and shimming or placing a partial base coat of pavement on as much of the rest of the road as the budget allows this year, he wrote. Next year a finish coat will be put down.
“Rest assured, the work we do will be a huge improvement this year,” Mullis wrote.
Town officials discussed a fire department tanker that is currently off the road.
“It just recently was deemed unsafe to be on the road and we took it out of service,” Blockler said.
The 1993 model has 400,000 miles and failed inspection. It has oil leaks, issues with the brakes, rot in the rear frame and other problems.
Quotes estimate repairs in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. The truck has a standard transmission, limiting how many firefighters can drive it.
“As we stand right now, I have a (mutual aid) agreement with Dover and Guilford to provide a tanker when needed and as long as we have a plan going forward to either fix it or get a new one or do something,” Blocker said.
Sangerville has two smaller 1,000-gallon pumpers that do not serve the same purpose as the larger vehicle.
Should the town look to buy a truck, a decade-old vehicle could cost around $250,000. A new model could cost around $600,000 with a 16-17 month wait.
“The engines and the firefighters save lives, the tankers save property,” Mullis said.
Sangerville officials have time to consider options. They plan to meet with Androscoggin Bank Senior Vice President of Government Banking John Simko — who is a former Sangerville town manager — to discuss financing options.
If the truck is approved for budgeting, any decision would be made at a town meeting.
The dog ordinance was reviewed pertaining to Veterans Memorial Park. The ordinance from 1988 prohibits pets from the area and any amendments would require a town meeting vote.
A community survey on the town website could gather feedback to see if revisions are needed.
“At this point I think we are in a no dog policy until the time we can add it to town meeting,” Select Chair Jeff Peters said.
Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union donated $1,000 toward the new playground equipment at Veterans Memorial Park. The account now has about $1,900, Nichols said.
The Sangerville Town Hall Committee and Sangerville Historical Society will launch a fundraising campaign to continue to raise money for building renovations.
“Our goal is to raise $125,000 to meet the maximum match for a potential $500,000 grant we will be applying for this fall,” Mullis wrote. “If we reach our goal, are successful with grant applications and add our capital reserve fund money we will be approaching a $ 1 million, which can do a large part of the renovation work needed. All ideas and help are welcome.”
“Our next step is getting back to scheduling joint meetings between the historical society and the town hall committee and really getting more communication out to the public about what we’re doing and really trying to do some grassroots fundraising in addition to all the other plans,” Mullis said.