New roof for Center firehouse
Fire District Commissioners awarded the contract for a new roof on the Center Firehouse to The R.W. Mulligan Company of Riverhead Monday night.
Because the work is being done on an emergency basis, there was no need to enter into a formal bidding process. But Commissioner Keith Clark had shopped the job to five companies, with Mulligan offering the lowest price, $29,400.
Others who sought the project were Cotrone at $31,200; Eli Construction at $35,625; Hunter at $46,500; and AAC Inc. at $51,500. Mr. Clark described Mulligan as a reputable company with large crews able to tackle the project rapidly.
“We want to get this done as quickly as possible,” he said, noting there were more damaged ceiling tiles in the main meeting room since last month’s commissioners’ meeting.
Chief’s vehicle
Commissioners also agreed, after several months of comparing prices to replace a chief’s vehicle, to award the bid to Buzz Chew of Southampton. Third Assistant Chief Greg Sulahian will get the new vehicle since the one he has been driving is in serious disrepair.
The commissioners were about to award the contract to Buzz Chew in February when they learned there might be a similar vehicle available on a from a company in Rochester. But in comparing the two vehicles and their equipment, it quickly became apparent the two vehicles were different.
“We’re comparing apples to oranges,” Mr. Lechmanski said. The vehicle form Buzz Chew is priced at $33,500 and contains all necessary lights and equipment while the Rochester company was offering a stripped down vehicle for $34,049.
“We’ve been jerking around with this thing for political reasons,” Mr. Lechmanski said in recommending that the order be placed now.
Whoops
The district, on the advice of its attorney, Helen Rosenblum, will re-advertise for bids for fire well hookups that don’t need parts to connect with Long Island Power Authority lines. Dickerson Electric Company won bidding for both the LIPA boxes and the boxes that would hook up to the department’s own generators. Dickerson’s $3,500 per box bid on the more technical boxes stands. But the more simple boxes will be put out to bid again because of the confusion that may have led others to overbid.
“I winged it and I winged it wrong,” Commissioner Larry Lechmanski said about the incorrect specifications listed in the original ads.
For sale
A John Deere riding mower with a 42-inch blade. That item, along with six 920 tires mounted on GMC rims will also be sold. The items will be advertised in the Reporter and the minimum bid for the riding mower, that retailed for about $2,200 seven or eight years ago, is $450. There’s no minimum bid on the tires.
