BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick Town Council on Monday authorized the selection of the South Portland-based Ledgewood Construction as the construction manager for the next phase of the Brunswick police station project.

In a unanimous vote, the council authorized Town Manager Gary Brown to enter into a contract with the company for pre-construction services.

Ledgewood was the second choice of the town’s police station subcommittee, following the Brunswick-based Ouellet Associates, which withdrew its application to oversee the police station project last week.

Mike Ouellet, president of Ouellet Associates, said Monday that his company and the town "just couldn’t come to terms" on a final contract.

The most significant difference in the two applications, Brown said, is that Ouellet had offered free pre-construction services. Ledgewood seeks to charge $15,000 for this phase of the project, according to a town cost comparison done in late January.

That pre-construction phase is still on track to produce an overall budget estimate by the end of March, Brown said Monday.

Early estimates for the project at the corner of Pleasant and Stanwood streets put the cost for the finished building at around $5.3 million.

Brown said that meetings with Ledgewood and project architect Brett Donham will continue to refine a final estimate.

At Monday’s meeting, District 6 Town Councilor Margo Knight said that she was “disappointed” that the town was not able to find a firm that is “local with a capital L.”

Brown said that the town sent requests for proposals to another Brunswick construction firm but the town did not receive a bid.

The council approval Monday night also included signing a letter of intent, indicating that Ledgewood would be awarded full management of the project if it is approved.

“The expectation is that, unless Ledgewood grossly misperforms, they will get the next phase of the project,” Brown said.

In the past, Ledgewood oversaw construction of the Curtis Memorial Library expansion and the Harriet Beecher Stowe School. The firm also has built other recent public projects, including the public library renovation in Portland and that city’s Ocean Avenue Elementary school, according the firm’s website.

¦ IN THE PAST, Ledgewood Construction oversaw construction of the Curtis Memorial Library expansion and the Harriet Beecher Stowe School. The firm also has built other recent public projects, including the public library renovation in Portland and that city’s Ocean Avenue Elementary school.

dfishell@timesrecord.com