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Town Hall Sprinkler System
Mark Radziszewski of Freedom Fire Protection, the company who was the successful bidder on the Town Hall sprinkler system project, notified me this week that his company will be able to begin working on our project today or early next week. Another job they are scheduled to perform was delayed a bit, so he is able to start on our project sooner. He will be able to work around the recreation activities that are happening in the Town Hall, as most of their work is above or behind the scenes.
Paving and Crack Sealing
Pike will begin its paving work in Poland in mid-August. As a reminder of the roads to be paved, they include the full length of Lewiston Junction Road except those portions recently paved, and the following roads with top coats and driveway aprons: Outlet Road, Schellinger Road, Saunders Road, and Perkins Road.
Pro-Seal, LLC was awarded the contract for crack sealing, and it will begin the bulk of its work in mid-September. Patching on Hardscrabble Road and crack sealing on Schellinger Road has been added to the contract, as funds allow. It may be possible to do the patching on Hardscrabble Road earlier than September because it can be done in less than perfect weather conditions. We also need Pro-Seal to seal the cracks on Schellinger Road before Pike applies the 1” top coat of pavement. It is important to seal the cracks on Schellinger Road before the top coat of pavement is applied to prevent immediate re-cracking after paving.
Planning Board Consultants for Peer Review
The Planning Board is taking a look at the proposals the Town received for engineering services. Board members determined that they need more time to review the proposals and interview prospective contractors before developing their recommendation to the Board of Selectmen.
AVCOG Services
Since the Town of Poland reinstituted membership with the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, the Town has received the following direct services from AVCOG:
- Information about AVCOG activities and updates about our region’s economic and community development activities, including the following:
- Auburn/Lewiston Airport runway extension project;
- activities of the Local Workforce Investment Board;
- AVCOG’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) process,
- Lewiston/Auburn Transit;
- the Mobilize Western Maine effort, including the Mobilize Maine report of Androscoggin Valley Regional Economic Benchmarks;
- various transportation initiatives;
- work on Scenic Byways for the Grafton Notch and Rte. 27 Scenic Byways corridors;
- the contract with the Lewiston-Auburn Railroad to re-establish the Rangeley Branch rail line;
- AVCOG staff cut-backs that resulted from the reduction of funding from the current state administration through program elimination and the holding of bond funding;
- AVCOG’s Annual Report.
- Analysis and updates about the Maine Turnpike Authority’s plan to institute toll increases that will adversely affect Western Maine and the Lewiston-Auburn area
- Technical staff assistance in regard to the MDOT biennial work plan, which included assistance with project identification and descriptions, traffic counts, and high crash location data; also staff attendance at a Board of Selectmen’s meeting
- Street maps of Poland
- Opportunity to purchase culverts and plow cutting edges through AVCOG’s joint purchasing program
- Administrative service to the Western Maine Managers group in arranging meetings and presenters for the discussion of current events and exchange of ideas and utilitarian methods of addressing challenges in municipal government
- Networking with the region’s municipal leaders
The following additional direct services are expected from AVCOG in the near future:
- Participation in the road salt joint bid process later this summer
- Participation in household hazardous waste collection at a site in Norway this summer, as well as a joint venture with Mechanic Falls at the Poland Regional High School later in the fall
- Potential for new zoning maps for use by Town staff and the Planning Board
- Information about and inclusion in the decision-making processes associated with the expansion of the Auburn business park into Poland
- Eligibility for EDA funding via the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
- Continued updates and information about important issues facing our region
- Continued networking with the region’s municipal leaders
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemary E. Kulow
Town Manager
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