WILTON – Selectmen discussed the condition of fire Engine 5 on Tuesday, and met with a representative of Poland Spring Water Co. about plans for a plant in Kingfield.
The town has spent well over $1,000 assessing the possibility of refurbishing the Fire Department’s Engine 5. It has been taken to four different vendors, two of whom told Fire Chief Sonny Dunham “they could not, in good conscience, recommend putting any money into refurbishing” the 1983 pumper truck, Dunham told selectmen. The chassis needs more than $23,000 in work.
“We’ve been babying it for many, many years,” Dunham said in response to Chairman Russell Black, who asked him how it could have become a “piece of junk” within one year. “There’s been a lot wrong with it for a long time,” he added.
The truck has not been tested in three years, Dunham told them. It failed to meet national minimum standards when it was tested this year.
In addition to Engine 5, the department has a 1984 rescue truck, a 2,200-gallon tanker, a 1993 pumper that is the current main fire attack vehicle, and a squad truck, according to Dunham. The pumper truck is overloaded with extra hose and dangerous to drive, he added. He also warned selectmen that an insurance evaluation organization may be visiting soon and the discovery that the department is down a truck could cost local homeowners higher fire insurance premiums.
Dunham has asked for bids on a new truck, putting a top dollar amount at $250,000, he said.
Selectmen asked Dunham about the regional fire study that was recently undertaken and suggested that any decision be curtailed until that study was complete. The study is not expected to be finished for several months. Selectmen voted unanimously to wait for those results.
After honoring former Selectman Norm Gould for his years of service to the town with a legislative proclamation, state Rep. Thomas Saviello introduced his former colleague, Tom Brennan, natural resource manager for Poland Spring Water Co. Brennan spoke briefly about the water company, which is researching the possibility of constructing a bottling plant in Kingfield.
The company currently employs about 600 people in its Poland and Hollis bottling plants, and has a $37 million annual payroll. The plant in Kingfield would start similarly to Hollis’ start-up, he told the board, with about 80 employees earning an hourly wage of $14 to $25 initially. There would be plans to expand and the clean, nonpolluting industry that uses a reliable and renewable natural resource would also bring ancillary economic benefits to the area, he said.
“It’s a big deal for Kingfield but it’s a regional issue,” he told selectmen, handing out business cards and inviting them to call him with questions.
Comments are no longer available on this story