DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen on Monday reviewed five bids for a new firetruck pumper and agreed to have the town manager check on getting a loan to buy one.
Fire Chief Scott Dennett said he created a scoring spreadsheet and a point system to review each of the bids and “account for their compliance with our bid specifications. The spreadsheet and point system would determine whether an item exceeded our bid specs, or whether it was less than the specifications,” he said.
Out of the five bids received in December, Dennett said two failed on several critical components and “failed to meet too many of our specifications.”
Dennett said of the other three, one “priced a large number of our required components as optional,” which increased the price of the bid.
“Out of the two bids left, and according to the spreadsheet we used to grade the trucks, it turns out that KME (Kovatch Mobile Equipment) was the best overall solution for the department’s needs,” Dennett told the board. “They earned the highest point total, and had the most compartment space.”
The company is headquartered in Nesquehoning, Pa.
Another difference between the KME bid and the other four was the inclusion of parts and labor in its warranty coverage.
“The other bids covered the parts in their pump warranty coverage, but KME was the only one that covered labor as well,” Dennett said.
The cost of the KME truck bid was approximately $450,000.
The new 1,500 gallon pump truck would replace the current pump truck, which Dennett said had “reached the end of its useful life.”
“We’ve been having a lot of issues with the electronic components, and we were also having some pump issues,” he said. “Rather than come up with a major overhaul for our old truck, I figured that we could get a new truck that would last us between 20 and 25 years.”
Resident Peter Holman asked Dennett how much money the town would get from selling its old pump truck.
“We’re looking at about $20,000, which would all be put back into the town’s reserve fund,” Dennett said.
The town voted in 2014 to borrow up to $399,000 to put toward a new firetruck.
“What I’d like to do is pay for the difference by pulling from the truck capital reserve fund,” Dennett said. “I was originally hoping for a truck in the $425,000 range, but by the time everything transpired, the price had increased a couple of times. The prices certainly crept up quicker than we had anticipated.”
Resident Susan Holmes asked Dennett why the Fire Department didn’t pursue a used or refurbished pump truck.
Dennett said they weren’t able to find a used truck with a 1,500-gallon tank.
“We found trucks with tanks between 750 and 1,000 gallons, but not 1,500,” he said. “One of the things we didn’t want to give up was that 1,500-gallon tank. We opted out on some items, but that was one I didn’t dare back out on.”
Chairman Scott Belskis asked if there were any other towns in the River Valley that had 1,500 gallon tanks.
“Andover has one,” Dennett said. “I know that Mexico doesn’t have one, and that Peru has a 2,000-gallon tank and a 1,250 (gallon) tank.”
Belskis asked what the department had to replace after the pump truck.
“The next thing we’re looking to replace is our ladder truck, but we don’t anticipate doing that for the next eight to 10 years,” Dennett said. “Of course, things could change at any time, but that’s the timeline we’re looking at right now.”
Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Dixfield would have to withdraw “about $50,000” from the capital reserve account to cover the rest of the pump truck purchase.
That would leave about $42,000 or $43,000 in the reserve account, he said.
Selectman Dana Whittemore said he was concerned that withdrawing from the reserve account would leave the town shortchanged if another vehicle purchase was necessary.
Dennett said payment would be due to KME upon delivery of the truck, which would be nearly a year from the order date.
Belskis asked Dennett if they could consider one of the bids that would give a $16,000 discount if the town paid the cost of the truck up-front.
“If we can maybe save $16,000, and we have to take out a loan anyway, we should try and take out a loan before the price for the truck increases,” Belskis said. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
Puiia said it was unlikely the town would be approved for a loan before reaching the order deadline.
The board agreed to have Puiia look into whether the town could be approved for a loan before the truck’s order deadline.
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