The scoop: The budget committee discussed purchasing a new fire truck. The Sumner Volunteer Fire Department is looking at a $140,000 pumper tanker. According to fire Chief Bob Stewart, the old tanker is unreliable. In a rural area where there are no fire hydrants, it is critical to have water available to fight fires until additional water comes from surrounding towns, Stewart said.

Up next: One-third of the tanker’s cost is available, but the budget committee is still studying how long the town should take to pay for the remainder.

The scoop: The owners of garbage dumped on the roadside in Sumner have been located and they have arranged to have it removed.

The scoop: The Town Office staff extended thanks to Maynard and Sons Trucking and to Road Commissioner Jim Keach for donating time and equipment to deliver manure to the town complex gardens. Thanks were also extended to Mt. Tom Snowmobile Club for donating plants for the gardens.

The scoop: Selectmen decided to increase land values by 20 percent, except for tree growth and farm land. The value of tree growth and farm land is set by the state. The reason for the increase is that the town is penalized if its valuation differs too much from the state assessment. Sumner is now at 89 percent of the state assessment. The increase will bring the town assessment up to 97.9 percent of the state assessment. This saves the expense of having the town reassessed at this time, selectmen said.

– Mary Standard