No Decision Reached in Crandall Suit

Ledyard officials appeared in New London Superior Court Tuesday to defend the town’s decision not to award a curbside collection contract to low bidder F.E. Crandall Disposal, choosing instead to give the two-year contract to Sterling Superior Services of Bozrah.

The contract, which marked the start of single-stream recycling in town, became effective July 1. Crandall, however, alleged “favoritism” on the town’s part, and filed suit.

After two hours of close-door meetings, Mayor Fred B. Allyn Jr. said a decision Tuesday by Judge Seymour J. Hendel was unlikely. Soon after the case was continued without hearing testimony.

Allyn was accompanied in court by Public Works Director Steve Masalin, Town Attorney Meredith Diette, and Town Councilor Bill Saums, who sat on the nine-member ad hoc committee that reviewed the bids and unanimously awarded the contract to Sterling.

Crandall was represented by Atty. Simon Allentuck of New Haven.

Allyn said Judge Hendel, after reviewing the materials submitted in the case, suggested that the parties try to settle. 

Allyn, however, questioned what there is to settle. “We have a contract in place. We can’t just go back and re-bid it.” 

Both Allyn and Masalin said language in the Request for Proposal reserves the town’s right to reject any bid in deference to what it believes is the “best value” for the town, based on several criteria.

“The key is ‘best value,’ and we believe we awarded the contract on that basis,” Allyn said.

Although the case was continued to September, Allentuck said afterward it is likely to be settled before that. He said courts don't typically like to get in the middle of how municipalities award contracts.

"This was really to make sure (Crandall) gets a fair shake, and also the the town," he said.