Town Towing Contract with Christopher's Towing Extended

 The Board of Selectmen Monday night agreed to extend it towing contract with Christopher's Towing.

That contract was entering its final year, said Town Manager Paul Cohen, and Christopher offered to extend the agreement with the town for an additional two years. Christopher's Towing said it would increase the amount given to the town per car towed, from $50 to $55.

Cohen said $55 is much more than many other surrounding towns receive.

"Chief Murphy has no concerns and overall, the fee higher than surrounding communities. If we let it lapse then bid it out, I don’t know if they'd be willing to award that much. So we'd be looking to extend this contract for two years and then after that, go through the full bid process. The contract would expire June 30, 2015, with a $55 fee to the town per vehicle towed," he said.

Selectman Pat Wojtas said she had no complaints about Christopher's towing but said she wasn't in favor of extending the contract right now. 

"I think this is a surprise, with it coming up the way it is ... I'd welcome them to bid when the time came but I would maintain that schedule," she said.

 Selectman Jim Lane said he supported the extension.

"This provider has not had any public safety issues, and we’d be locking in a higher rate, so I'd be in favor of that myself," he said. "I haven’t heard one complaint and I think you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth."

During the board's discussion, Ferreira's Towing asked if an attorney could make a presentation to the board, but Selectmen Chairman Jon Kurland denied that request.

The town terminated its towing contract with Ferreira's towing in 2010 after in which a tow truck's brakes failed. The truck slid into the Best Western hotel and ruptured a gas line. Cohen also cited other vehicle inspection failures as reason for termination. 

"There seems to be a consensus on this and I'm not convinced what anyone will say will change our minds. It’s a public safety issue ... There is a history there and this individual does not have a history," said Kurland.