The Harpswell Select Board heard preliminary costs for the demolition and removal of the Mitchell Field Pier from Barney Baker of Baker Design Consultants on Friday.

The 65-year-old pier has been out of active use for 25 years, and has been owned by the town since 2001. The Mitchell Field Committee has recommended that the structure be demolished before it falls apart. Sections of the dilapidated structure, such as the North Dolphin and the pump house, have collapsed in recent years. The town is now looking to take action before further deterioration, which increases the cost of demolition and removal.

In December, selectmen commissioned a plan for the demolition of the pier, which was presented to the board for the first time on Friday morning. Baker presented a number of options, ranging from doing nothing to constructing and onsite artificial reef.

Due to the deterioration of the pier, it is unable to support heavy equipment and much of the demolition will require barge mounted equipment, which increases the cost of the work.

Baker’s recommended option is to demolish the pier to the seabed with barge mounted equipment and then transfer materials off site via truck to a recycling facility. While barge mounted equipment increases the cost of the demolition, the decreasing integrity of the pier makes it necessary.

According to Baker’s assessment, it would cost just over $4 million for the town to remove pier under option B. When adjustments for inflation, a 10 percent contingency and other costs are included, the price tag rises to nearly $4.8 million. Baker estimated that the longer the town takes to act on the proposal, the higher the costs will rise due to inflation and the worsening condition of the pier.

According to Baker, barging the materials off site would cost an additional estimated $2.1 million. Those numbers could be revised in the next week, Baker indicated.

“I have an independent estimate being done by a subcontractor I that hired specifically for this project. I don’t have his estimate yet,” Baker said.

Baker said that he will incorporate the numbers produced by that estimate and select board comments into the final report next week.

The town will have to decide whether it wants to have the entire project as one bid, or as a number of separate bids. The town is also looking into what grants it can use to offset the multi-million dollar project and how to word a bond. The entire project would take between 10-15 months.

Pier removal

• 65-YEAR-OLD pier out of active use for 25 years

• OWNED by the town since 2001

• WILL COST nearly $4.8 million to remove