MEXICO – Officials at Wednesday selectmen’s meeting opened bids to purchase a half-ton pickup truck and plow for the public works department.

After much discussion, however, selectmen left the choice up to Road Commissioner David Errington, who has been using his own pickup truck rather than the town’s 1994 Chevy 1-ton truck.

The town can no longer use the 1994 truck to plow snow across the Thad White Bridge and a portion of Coburn Avenue because the Maine Department of Transportation lowered the bridge’s safety rating from eight tons to three tons.

Chairwoman Barbara Laramee said the town received bids from six dealerships, ranging from $25,987 to $28,888.

Errington asked the board if he could pick the lowest bid that meets the specifications sought, which means the lowest money bid might not be the one chosen, and buy the truck.

At first, the board acquiesced until Selectmen Richie Philbrick and Arthur Bordeau spoke out against it. They argued that even if Town Manager John Madigan OK’d the buy, Errington’s choice should be approved by the board, because town money would be used to buy the truck.

When asked if he could wait two weeks before buying the truck to allow selectmen to pick a bid at their next meeting, Errington said he had already waited too long. Laramee said selectmen could stop by the town office Friday to review Errington’s choice before he bought the vehicle. A unanimous vote OK’d it.