Chabot's wins Opera House bid

NORWAY— The Norway Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to award construction on the Norway Opera House to Chabot's Construction Company, pending completion of a background check.

"We have not completed our background check," said Holt. "We're partway through it... Nothing so far has told us not to recommend this."

Chabot's Construction Company, of Greene has completed local projects such as the Poland Elementary School and the Public Safety Building in Oxford. The bid by Chabot's was by far the lowest of the three submitted bids, at $156,550.

"I believe they have all the equipment, capability, and track record to do the job," said Town Manager David Holt.  "This isn't refurbishing the building. This isn't putting it back to historical significance. This job is to make sure that it doesn't fall down, and I believe they're well equipped to do this job."

Selectman Warren Sessions remarked on the wide range among the three bids. One company estimated the work would cost $398,900, well more than twice what Chabot's submitted.

"I can't explain that, and I wouldn't attempt to," said Holt. "I think it's fair to say that when you get into a project like this, there's worry about uncertainty ... when you tackle an old building like this there may be surprises."

The town currently has over $200K budgeted for the project, including $150K in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, $50K from the "Norway Maine Opera House Corp.," and $15K from a larger, $200K donation by Bill and Bea Damon, which was used to purchase the building.

"Did the contractors know the available amount of money?" asked a Norway resident.

"I haven't talked to the other two companies," said Holt. "Mr. Chabot, I know, spent some time figuring it out."

The board awarded the bid to Chabot, pending successful completion of the background check.

The Opera House is suffering from severe structural issues.

The outside of the building will be altered to discourage trespassers from entering the building. An elevated walkway on the south side of the building will be removed entirely, and openings into the existing building will be sealed off. A portion of an old fire escape on the back building wall will also be removed.

Also, a two-story building addition will be removed.