FARMINGTON – Selectmen voted unanimously to hold a special town meeting Dec. 26 to ask voters to OK taking about $20,000 from the undesignated fund to replace the municipal building’s boiler.

The boiler has been breaking down on a regular basis for years, Town Manager Richard Davis said. It’s been in the building for the past 30 years, 10 years over it’s estimated life expectancy, he said. The town has also spent nearly $20,000 fixing it in the past four years. It failed again Saturday.

Selectmen and two Budget Committee members attending the meeting agreed if the weather gets colder, the boiler could break for good, potentially endangering the town. Without heat, the municipal building – location of not only the town office but also the police and fire departments – could become unusable, Selectman Stephan Bunker said.

Three companies bid on the project. Dexter Boilers of Bangor had the lowest at about $19,000, and claimed the three smaller Bantam Mark II Moscone boilers they would use to replace the large boiler would also save the town 30 to 70 percent on heating fuel.

Selectmen instructed Davis to investigate the Dexter boiler further this week and to check whether or not there is asbestos in the boiler room. They will hold a special meeting Friday to finalize the warrant for the special town meeting and firm up the dollar amount they will be asking voters to approve.