POLAND — Selectmen on Tuesday awarded several bids to area companies for upcoming projects and the purchase of new equipment.

A bid for a new firetruck to replace Engine 2 was approved for Pierce Manufacturing for $464,388 with trade-in.

Fire Chief Mark Bosse said the $40,000 the town received for the trade-in was the best that the town has seen in recent years.

He also noted that the $464,388 will come from the capital reserve account, set aside specifically for replacing the firetruck. It allows the town to avoid paying financing charges.

Delivery of the new truck is expected in late winter or early spring.

Selectmen also accepted the bid for new Fire Department turnout gear to Harrison Shrader Enterprises for $43,950. The money pay for 25 sets of coats and pants.

Bosse pointed out that the department has done business with Harrison Shrader in the past and has been pleased with the equipment and service. The bid was the lowest of four received.

After reviewing six bids for the demolition of the McConaghy-Walker house at 1217 Maine St., selectmen awarded the work to Douglas W. Jones of Bethel, doing business as Cross Excavation, for its low offer of $16,833.

Town Manager Bradley Plante said Cross Excavation will have 30 days to complete its work once given the word to proceed.

Demolition of the house must be delayed until completion of the asbestos removal process that began earlier in the day, Plante said. The work should only take another day or so, but until it is complete, no one is allowed in the building, he said.

Plante said it appears the demolition work will be accomplished well within the $30,000 approved by voters in April. The asbestos abatement will cost $4,300 and another $2,300 has been spent on testing and plans.

Also helping to keep expenditures down is the planned use of town crews to fill in the well and foundation, and ripping up the asphalt driveway.

Selectmen awarded the work of repointing bricks in the old Town Hall to Phoenix Associates of New Gloucester for $9,542. Selectman waived the usual requirement that the town obtain multiple quotes for projects costing more than $5,000.

Plante explained that for two years, he has tried in vain to convince someone to do the relatively small project. Phoenix Associates agreed to accept the job mainly because it was local and could be squeezed in between other work.

In other business, selectmen:

• Appointed Tammi Bouchard to serve as the town’s health officer for a three-year term ending June 30, 2019;

• Cast ballots for Steve Bolduc and Norman Beauparlant to serve as District 6’s representatives to the Androscoggin County Budget Committee; and

• Tabled action on naming representatives to the Regional School Unit 16 building committee, pending information of when and how often the committee will meet. Selectmen are also appealing to residents for someone to serve as one of the town’s representatives on the building committee.