Following a joint meeting with the budget committee Dec. 2, the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen voted to hold a special town meeting Thursday, Dec. 11, asking the voters to purchase a new truck for the town’s public works department.
The truck will replace the 1996 Topkick truck that was totaled Nov. 2, when a tree limb crushed the driver’s side of the cab. The driver was not hurt in the accident.
After discussion, the selectmen and budget committee jointly recommended a warrant article asking to appropriate up to $150,000 to purchase a new truck by reallocating funds that were dedicated to this year’s capital improvement projects, and using a portion of next year’s potential capital improvement budget.
Should voters approve, the town will reallocate $27,400 remaining from the municipal roof capital improvement project, $7,311 left over from the F350 highway truck purchase this year with $97,139 from next year’s capital improvement budget.
The town will receive $18,150 from the insurance of the truck, which will also be used toward the purchase of the new truck.
Budget committee member Bob Blagden suggested selectmen use a portion of the 2015-2016 capital improvement funds instead of using money from the public works, cemetery budgets, and the town’s fund balance.
Blagden’s suggestion was well received by the selectmen.
Blagden also suggested that a Wiscasset sewer district truck be retrofitted with the sander and snowplow, taken from the totaled truck, to be used as a back-up, and to avoid another crisis situation.
The selectmen agreed and decided to keep the sander and plow blade.
Several of the budget committee members asked the board to consider a used truck, but after meeting separately, they voted 7-0 in favor of supporting the purchase of a new truck. The selectmen also voted 4-0 in favor of the purchase.
The special town meeting will be held at the town office meeting room 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m.
