Found Money Could Help With Purchase

Found Money Could Help With Purchase
Funds that turned up could ease excavator woes
Rebecca Leonard
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  A cheaper option for a new excavator may be back on the table for the Highway Department, and the plan could include the use of $120,000 found in an account that nobody knew about until last week.

“The prices are very close and I think we should test each one first,” said Highway Superintendent Bud Chase to selectmen on Monday.

Mr. Chase had been reviewing vendors and equipment – finding three vendors for a new excavator. “Out of the three vendors, I eliminated one that in my opinion didn’t not meet the specifications,” said Mr. Chase.

The other two vendors, John Deer and Volvo, offered extended warranties with the purchase of the machine.

The price for the John Deer is $193,000 and the Volvo excavator would be $194,000, which includes the trade-in value of the old machine. The warranty for each would be an additional $9,000. An earlier estimated cost of $218,000 had prompted a request from the board to have the town look into used excavators instead of a new one.

The board decided to allow Mr. Chase and interim Town Ad­ministrator Robert Markel to demo the two different brands of new excavators because of the closeness in price.

Selectmen Vice Chairwoman Diane Haley-Brooks advised that the warranty should also be thoroughly looked over to make sure the excavator would be completely covered for the full life of the warranty.

According to Mr. Chase, the town reconstructed 11 roads last year and the excavator was used for each one of them.

With the new construction on Otter River Road for a new drainage system next year, the Highway Department will need a working machine, he said.

“If the board is willing to support the purchase an excavator, there are several ways we can fund it,” explained Mr. Markel.

In laying out the options, Mr. Markel explained that they could purchase a replacement one using a combination of Chapter 90 road aid funds and free cash (leftover funds from the previous year). With a five-year lease, the entire amount would need to be committed up front and returned to the Chapter 90 account only when the lease is paid through free cash next year.

Or, Mr. Markel said, they could also use money from a bank account that was recently discovered by Town Accountant Kelli Pontbriand, who has been reviewing town accounts and reconstructing financial records. The newly discovered account has been dormant for several years and holds $120,000. Mr. Markel explained that up until last week no one knew about it.

That money is available for anything that a town meeting votes it be used for, and the excavator would be an option.

Also discussed at the meeting was the plan for a new set-up for parking on Baldwinville Road in front of Country Mischief.

Police Chief Michael Bennett presented a schematic design for the new plan – which involves “no parking” signs on the north-bound side of the road headed to Baldwinville and restricted parking on the south-bound side headed towards the common. The plan also includes making Boynton Street a one-way street with parking on one side of the street, allowing for emergency vehicles to get by.

“It’s a great plan,” stated Glenn Whittle, co-owner of Country Mischief.