Residents approve two public works equipment purchases, turn down a third

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer
    MILO — Citizens gave their approval to the purchase of a trash truck and sidewalk machine, as well as a grant for a boat launch at a special town meeting April 9, while also voting down the proposed financing package for a plow truck.
    Residents authorized town officials to borrow up to $195,000 to finance the purchase of trash truck to replace the existing vehicle. Before the vote, Select Chair Lee McMannus said, “The trash truck is something, whether we like it or not, we have to buy. If we don’t buy a trash truck, the one we currently have is going to be sitting on the side of the road any day now.”
    “The packer body is worn out,” Public Works Supervisor Glenn Ricker said, mentioning spending additional monies on repairs would not be the best use of department funds.

    Approval was also granted for up to $80,000 to finance a sidewalk machine.
    “We are talking about a four-season machine and we are looking at something different from the past,” Ricker said. He said the apparatus will be used to clear snow as well as pushing sand and mowing and brush removal.
    “It’s more versatile than a traditional sidewalk machine,” McMannus said.
    The third item on the agenda asked to borrow up to $136,000 for a plow truck and more of those present voted “no” than “yes” for this item.
    In addition to the three pieces of equipment, residents were asked — and voted in favor — to enable the selectmen to accept a $150,000 state grant for a carry-in boating facilities on Maine-owned land in Derby, accessing the lower Sebec, Pleasant and Piscataquis rivers. The grant includes the town providing in-kind matching funds, such as materials and labor to finish the project through the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year.
    “It is a grant process that we will go through,” McMannus said. “It is a new boat launch in Derby where the suspension bridge is, and we will use our labor instead of money in our pocket.”
    He said it is unlikely a business with several hundred jobs is going to move to town in the near future, so in the meantime tourism-based initiatives are being considered such as the boat launch McMannus “called a small step forward.” He said the proposed launch “creates a much better parking area and like we said it is grant money.”
    “Right now if you want to walk down that trail, good luck,” McMannus said about the site upgrades needed.