BELGRADE -- Paving contractor Bruce Manzer is the latest victim of skyrocketing increases in petroleum products.

Tuesday night Manzer visited the Belgrade Board of Selectmen, his latest stop in an ongoing effort for self preservation as a businessman.

The trouble is the bids Manzer made earlier this year for paving projects no longer cover his costs -- not by a long shot.

Manzer, whose company is based in Anson, said he would lose $90,000 if Belgrade held him to the contract it awarded him in May.

The primary reason, Manzer said, is the price of liquid asphalt has more than doubled since he bid on the Belgrade project, soaring from $438 to $885 a ton.

Manzer said he faces similar situations with about a dozen other contracts.

So far, he said, none of his customers has held him to his original bid price, although he said he remains in negotiations with most.

Such is the case with Belgrade selectmen.

Manzer approached the board with a request to modify the contract.

The board voted unanimously to hold off on a decision as long as possible in the hope that liquid asphalt price fall.

"We realize that legally we could (hold you to the contract)," board Chairwoman Melanie Jewell said, "but it's not who we are."

Manzer said he was willing to work with the town to come to a mutually acceptable solution. He suggested, for instance, that he could use a paving mix incorporating recycled materials.

While such a move would decrease Manzer's loss on the product, the contractor still would take a big financial hit.

He said the measure would only reduce his cost by about $35,000, meaning he still be out $55,000.

The board considered modifying the project, but concluded that would be improper given that residents approved the expenditure at town meeting with specific terms.

Selectmen will take up Manzer's request at their Sept. 16 meeting. They determined that to wait any longer would jeopardize the ability to get the project done this year.

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205

chickey@centralmaine.com