HOULTON, Maine — Thanks to a strong U.S. dollar in the Canadian market, the town will be able to purchase its supply of winter salt at a somewhat discounted rate.
Houlton town councilors authorized Town Manager Butch Asselin Monday evening to waive the bid process and accept the price of $75 per ton from Kingsco Transport of New Brunswick. That price is higher than last year by about 82 cents per ton, but that figure could have been much different if the town purchased through U.S. vendors.
According to Chris Stewart, public works director, the town typically goes through the Northern Maine Development Corporation for bulk bids, but this year those bids came in considerably higher.
“The bids were $84 and $82.03 per ton, and we declined those offers,” Stewart said. “It went back out to bid, and in the next round the [low] bid came in at $91.40.”
Stewart said he was contacted by a representative of Kingsco Transport of New Brunswick to see if the town would be interested in buying its salt from them. That company is new to the salt industry, Stewart said, but the town has purchased its liquid dust control product from them for the past two years.
“I believe this is a great deal for the town and a great offer,” Stewart said. “It will save us roughly $11,248. That’s quite a savings.”
The town typically uses about 1,600 tons of road salt during the course of the winter, he said. There is no minimum or maximum order.
