By Darrell Halen
Staff Writer

After collecting and evaluating bids for auditing services, Windham officials are sticking with the auditor they have been been using.

During their Oct. 30 meeting, Windham selectmen voted unanimously to award a three-year contract to Vachon, Clukay and Co. of Manchester.

The company bid to audit the town’s books for $9,875 in the first year, $9,953 the following year, and $9,920 in the third year. It budgeted 109 hours to do the job annually.

Their costs were less than half of those of another firm selectmen considered. Melanson Heath & Co. of Nashua bid to do the job for $21,000 for each of three years. The company budgeted 230 hours to do their work each year.

Assistant Town Administrator Dana Call recommended that the town continue working with the Vachon firm. Although the Melanson’s approach at the job provides some benefits, she and Town Administrator David Sullivan are comfortable using Vachon and can’t justify spending twice as much money to use the other firm, she said.

“We don’t have any concerns with (them),” Call said. “We feel they do an appropriate audit.”

Selectman Alan Carpenter said he found answers provided by Vachon during a previous presentation to be vague. Selectman Galen Stearns suggested having the people who conducted future audits, rather than the company’s owner, come before selectmen to answer questions.

Three firms responded when the town put auditing services out to bid.

Prior to the meeting, Call and Sullivan narrowed the list down to two firms and interviewed them after opening technical proposals.

The other bidder was James A. George of Boston, which bid $8,000 to do the job each year.

The company does not have any municipal clients and was eliminated from consideration, according to Call.