MINOT — Selectmen have awarded the contracts for the town’s summer road paving program to T W Paving of Mechanic Falls, accepting the firm’s bid of $80.95 per ton as the lowest of six received.

Town Administrator Arlan Saunders noted the bids came in considerably higher than anticipated.

“Asphalt prices are a lot higher than last year, when it was $72 a ton,” Saunders said. “In December, I allowed for $75 when I was preparing an estimate of what we might need.”

Voters at March town meeting allocated $275,000 for the summer paving program which was intended for work on the paved portion of Death Valley Road, Marston Hill Road and Mountain View Drive.

Selectmen authorized Saunders to meet with T W Paving representatives to scale back the program to stay within budget.

Saunders said he would recommend cutting back on what had been planned for Death Valley Road.

In his report, Highway Supervisor Scott Parker said he was about to start ditching on Bucknam Bridge Road and would be moving on to Marston Hill Road to prepare it for paving.

Selectmen also met with Lou Annance, representing the Bog Hooters ATV Club. The club sought permission to use ATVs on a portion of East Oxford Road to gain access for ATV users traveling from Mechanic Falls through West Minot on up through to Hebron and Turner and beyond.

Selectmen agreed to open a 3,000-foot section of East Oxford Road, pending installation of appropriate signage.

Saunders also told selectmen the lease/purchase agreement with Whited Peterbilt of Auburn for the town’s new plow truck should be ready for his signature this week and he will hold the check until the town is ready to accept delivery of the truck.

Saunders said the truck could be delivered by the beginning of June.

Selectmen also approved a request from Minot-Hebron Athletic Association representatives to draw $860 from the $2,000 March town meeting voters approved for field maintenance.

The athletic association will combine that money with a $500 grant and some of its own money to fund a $2,200 field maintenance project.

On a recommendation from the town’s auditor, selectmen announced they will hold a public hearing May 27 to amend the personnel policy to include a fraud policy that was adopted four years ago.