Buckfield closes in on ‘qualified bidders’

BUCKFIELD — Buckfield is closing in on new rules that will ban selectmen from bidding on town contracts. 

A draft ordinance, based on Bangor’s code of ethics, was reviewed by selectmen at their December 16 meeting.  If adopted by voters at the annual town meeting in June, the Qualified Bidders Ordinance will force selectmen to automatically reject any bid submitted by a town employee.  Because selectmen collect an annual stipend in Buckfield, they are considered employees for the purposes of the ordinance, according Town Manager Glen Holmes.

However, Holmes notes that a bid may still be placed in the running if the town employee in question owns less than a 10 percent share of the company placing a bid.

“In that case,” said Holmes, the bid shall be considered as coming from the company and not the individual.”

An example of a company qualifying for the exemption is Northland Holder, of Turner, which recently was given a contract to plow the sidewalks in Buckfield Village.

“You may see me in the sidewalk plow,” said Selectman Chip Richardson, who works for the company.  “I just want everyone to be clear — I do not own any part of Northland Holder.”

Selectmen sent the ordinance to the town attorney, Geoffrey Hole, of the Portland firm Bernstein Shur, for review.  A vote to schedule a public hearing on the proposed ordinance is expected at the next selectboard meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, at the town office.