Southport selectmen awarded a paving contract and signed agreements with a local nonprofit corporation at their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Hagar Enterprises, Inc. of Damariscotta was the successful bidder on a project described by Seth Hagar as supplying and installing new pavement on town roads and parking lots.

The town requested bids on a per ton basis. Hagar’s bid of $75.78 per ton was accepted after reviewing the only other bid, which was from Harry C. Crooker and Sons, Inc., of Topsham for $86.50 per ton.

According to Hagar, “At this point we are working with the town to define the final scope as they have a budget and we are trying to accomplish as much as possible while working within their budget. We hope to complete this work as soon as our schedule allows and the impact to the residents of Southport should be minimal.”

Following up on an agenda item from the previous week, board members from the nonprofit corporation, Land for Southport’s Future and Clayton Pottle, local real estate agent, presented two contracts to the selectmen for signature.

The first was to renew the year-long contract signed in November 2015, in which the town granted a right of first refusal to LFSF for the purchase of the town-owned Lepper Gardner property. The second contract gave LFSF 90 days in which to exercise the right once a bona fide offer has been received by the town.

Before signing the agreements, Selectman Gerry Gamage asked Pottle, “Does this tie our hands if we sign this?” Pottle responded “You’ll have to give (LFSF) the right for 90 days.” Saying that he “saw no reason not to do it,” Pottle told the selectmen that it was very typical to take 90 days for inspections and appraisals. The selectmen approved and signed both agreements.

At the same time, the town has received an offer on the property from an interested party which was presented to the selectmen in executive session by Pottle at their Aug. 31 meeting. At that time, the town replied with a counter offer of the full asking price. That counter offer is still valid because the town gave the party making the initial offer 60 days to respond, Selectman Mary Lou Koskela said in a phone interview.