GREENE – After 31 years of service to the town, selectmen agreed it was finally time to end their long-term relationship with one of their most trustworthy workers.

Being part of the road maintenance team since 1973, the town grader is being put to rest due to malfunctions that will cost more than $25,000 to repair. Town Manager Stephen Eldridge said this week he was against putting money into fixing the machinery.

“My recommendation is that we don’t fix it,” he said. “It’s tired.” Eldridge has been looking to replace it for the past couple of years.

In determining whether to buy another grader, selectmen asked Eldridge and road foreman Kevin Doyle to see how many hours a year the grader is used. Based on its past workload, the necessity of a newer grader will be determined.

Selectman Maurice Levasseur suggested paving the five unpaved town roads, which would reduce the need for a grader. He asked if it would be cheaper and more feasible for the town to contract with someone to handle the grading jobs. Eldridge said he would gather statistics and present them to the board.

Slightly discomforted by the thought of losing a grader, Selectman Mark Christman reminded the board of the winter times when a grader was needed to assist trucks that had slipped off the road.

“The grader has been handy in times when nothing else has worked,” Christman said. “But I echo Maurice’s suggestion: We need some answers before we do anything.” New graders are priced at about $250,000.

In other business:

• Town leaders announced that if tax bills are paid before 5 p.m. on July 28, a 5 percent discount will be applied to the bill. Otherwise, taxes are due to be paid in full by Aug. 28. Payments received by mail that are postmarked in time but delivered late will not be eligible for the discount.

• Robert Coady announced that he would step down form the Budget Committee next year, after serving for the past six years. “I think it’s time for someone else to take a crack at it,” he said.