NORRIDGEWOCK — The town has awarded a contract to demolish a vacant house that officials say is a safety hazard.

Town Manager Richard LaBelle said Thursday that Norridgewock received seven bids for the demolition of the house at 14 River Road. The former residential house, known locally as the beehive, is owned by Teresa Hilton and has been vacant for years.

Residents have complained to the town about the rundown house, but town officials say they were never able to reach Hilton. LaBelle said Hilton has been legally served the required documents.

Once demolished, the property would remain in Hilton’s possession, LeBelle said. He said the town will assess a tax on the property to recoup its costs, and if that isn’t paid the property will go through the foreclosure process.

The town awarded the bid to Central Maine Disposal, of Fairfield, which was the lowest bidder at $8,000. The remaining bids ranged from $11,447 to the highest bid of $41,750. The bidding process began January and closed March 15, which is when the Board of Selectmen chose Central Maine Disposal.

Initially, the town had hoped to demolish the house within 30 days of awarding the bid, but LaBelle said it may take a bit longer because of the weather and the fact some roads are still posted and a special waiver would be needed for heavy trucks on the road.

“It’s going to be a matter of lining up the resources between our asbestos contracted supervisor and Central Maine Disposal in order to ensure there’s no inconvenience or added costs along the way,” he said.

In addition to the demolition, Central Maine Disposal also will haul the materials to the town’s waste management center. LaBelle said the company is known for trash removal as well as commercial and residential demolition.

The building is close to the road, near other buildings and within walking distance of the downtown area, meaning pedestrians could go near it. In the past, LaBelle said the structure poses a threat to children and could become a target of criminal mischief.

The town also awarded a bid for repairs to Beech Hill Road. LaBelle said the town received nine bids for the reconstruction project. Again, the selectmen awarded the bid to the lowest bidder, which was Merle L. Lloyd and Sons, Inc., with a bid of $345,224.

LaBelle said the reconstruction project will begin in late spring, with the hope of wrapping it up quickly. He said the town just need the weather to cooperate.

“It should be a relatively short amount of time,” he said.

Colin Ellis — 861-9253

cellis@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @colinoellis

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