JAY — Selectmen voted unanimously Monday night to buy two new trucks for more than $150,000, including plowing equipment, Town Manager Ruth Cushman said Tuesday.

The money will come out of reserve accounts and will not affect the tax rate, she said.

Highway Department mechanic Dan Latham presented selectmen with a copy of the quotes he received to replace an 11-year-old dump truck that constantly needed repairs, she said.

With the trade, and outfitting the wheeler-truck, it should come in around $129,000. That includes body, plowing equipment and sander, Cushman said. The money will come out of the equipment reserve account.

Selectmen voted to buy a Western Star from the O’Connor dealership in Augusta and to allow up to $129,000 to do the outfitting, she said.

Selectmen also approved the purchase of a Ford 250 to replace the buildings and grounds truck. Town Custodian Larry Wright has been using the former Highway Department truck for 4½ years.

Wright told selectmen that the rust is so bad that it will not pass inspection a second time, Cushman said.

Two quotes received to purchase an identical truck were $28,507 from Farmington Ford in Farmington and $26,225.47 from Bailey Brothers in Livermore Falls, she said.

There are no available trucks that could be used from the Highway Department.

Selectmen voted to buy the truck from Bailey Brothers and to take $10,000 from the cemetery reserve and the balance of $16,225.47 from the buildings and grounds reserve, Cushman said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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