September 22, 2024
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Bangor finance panel OKs golf course project rebids

BANGOR – Members of the Bangor City Council finance committee were skeptical of a plan proposed Monday night to erect a new maintenance building at the municipal golf course with a $750,000 price tag.

Brian Enman, golf pro at Bangor Municipal Golf Course, was on hand to discuss the plan to replace the course’s 40-year-old facility with a new 7,200-square-foot building.

James Ring, Bangor’s city engineer, and Enman were at the meeting to propose scrapping the eight bids on the sewer line portion of the project and renegotiating with the lowest three bidders. The committee approved the action, but not before Enman and Ring were peppered with questions concerning the construction project.

Committee Chairman Richard Stone pressured Enman to justify spending what Stone called a lot of money.

“It is not just because this is a golf course, but it would be a lot to spend even if it was on the police station or on the airport,” Stone said.

Enman replied by noting the facility is not up to par with codes and regulations.

The proposal for the facility will go before Bangor’s planning board tonight. If the board approves it, Enman can begin to request bids on the building portion of the project.

The facility itself would cost $500,000 to $550,000, but expensive sewer line bids have inflated the total costs of the plan, Ring said.

The golf course would need a sewer line to run from its maintenance building down Webster Avenue. Current bids on the project run $200,000.

Even more skepticism came from council members once it was suggested only the top three bidders be reconsidered, instead of the entire field.

Council members Gerry Palmer and Frank Farrington argued that the integrity of the bidding process would be impeded if not opened up to all competitors.

The council eventually disagreed, and, in a 3-2 vote, approved Bangor Muni’s proposal to renegotiate with the lowest three bidders.


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