Norway to purchase more reliable truck

NORWAY — The board of selectmen during its November 15 meeting voted unanimously to replace the highway crew's 1992 International dump truck with a new-used plow/dump truck that is more reliable. 

The town plans to purchase a 2002 Mack wheeler for $31,000 from Global Truck Traders, Inc. in Winchester, NH. The truck has approximately 170,000 miles on it, highway crew members said during the meeting. 

The money will come out of the town's truck reserve account, which has a current balance of $88,000. 

Town Manager David Holt said that when the town bought the 1992 International it was brand-new. 

"It now has some problems," he said at the meeting, 20 years later.

"It has a questionable frame and the motor is going to need some work," Holt explained. 

According to highway crew members, the town's current truck would need a new radiator, new tie rods, a motor and a new muffler, among other things. 

The town plans to sell it for $4,500. 

Holt said the list of repairs is so long that replacing the truck altogether might be a better alternative. "We'd like to upgrade it," he said. 

"We feel overall that ... it will be cheaper than trying to fix the old one we have," said Holt. 

According to Holt, to buy a truck brand-new would cost the town between $140,000 and $180,000. 

"The cost of these [trucks] have gone up so much so rapidly, that it's difficult for us to replace each truck with a new truck like we did for awhile," Holt said. 

The 2002 Mack truck the town plans to purchase will be used mostly in the winter, said Highway Department Manager Ron Springer and less in the summer months. 

Highway crew members and selectmen estimated the new truck would last the town quite a few years. 

"Over the years I've never heard any complaints about the highway crew," said Selectman Bill Damon, who said he fully supported the decision.

Selectman Mike Twitchell said he, too, trusted the opinion of the highway crew about purchasing the new truck. 

"It seems like a reasonable deal," agreed Chairman Russ Newcomb. 

In other news, the board: 

• Agreed to mail out a "No Action Letter" to 671 Pleasant Street to confirm that the town will take no action to seek a forced relocation or removal of the existing structure on the property, based on a structural setback violation. 

 • Agreed to put a tax-acquired property, 157 Pikes Hill Road, out to bid for a minimum of $26,000. The building is owned by Mary and Christopher Buckley, but is currently uninhabited. 

• Reported that it will be filing an injunction in Oxford County Superior Court on November 28 to prevent an unsafe apartment building at 168 Main Street from being rented.