STRONG — Board of Selectmen Chairman Jim Burrill suggested Tuesday evening that the board consider developing a policy on handling certain purchases or rentals.

The issue came up after the town meeting in March when voters agreed not to raise money to buy an excavator and asked selectmen to compare costs of renting one with hiring a contractor.

In past years, Road Foreman Duayne Boyd had rented equipment for summer work. He recently rented one for a month and, according to two selectmen, that should have been discussed beforehand.

Selectman Rob Elliott said he had five calls about the rental and he had to tell caller he knew nothing about it.

“People at the town meeting thought we were going to bid on this,” Elliott said.

Boyd said he understood selectmen agreed with continuing to rent the equipment. He hadn’t expected that he’d be required to submit prices to the selectmen, because he hadn’t done that in past years, he said.

Renting for $3,100 for 30 days was good price, selectman and Highway Department liaison Mike Pond said.

“This isn’t about trust,” Elliott said. “It has to do with representing the town of Strong.”

Burrill suggested the board could develop a policy that would address such issues. The money comes from the roads and bridges account, he noted, and bids don’t have to be advertised on everything.

“It was such a hot issue at town meeting,” Selectman Dick Worthley. “The point is, that as selectmen, we’re all getting questions we can’t answer.”

Pond suggested that if Worthley or Elliott get road questions, they should direct those individuals to him.

In other business, selectmen discussed the urgent need to hire a custodian for building and grounds.

Former custodian Larone Crockett resigned last week.

Selectmen agreed to authorize Burrill and Worthley to reinterview three applicants.

Worthley updated the work schedule for the Village Cemetery and the Taylor Hill Cemetery. He did not receive a response from local mason Jason Plog, so selectmen approved contracting the vault repair to Steve Mitchell.

In other news, the first of the new “Welcome to Strong” signs will cost $660, according to Burrill. Someone will be hired to put the sign on new posts and build a roof to protect it from the weather.