PARIS — Paris will hold a special town meeting at the town hall at 6 p.m. Dec. 23 to ask residents to appropriate $52,792 for a new articulating sidewalk tractor.
“What we’re trying to accomplish is clearing the sidewalks,” Town Manager Natalie Andrews said. “It’s just beginning to snow and we’ve already had an issue.”
The board considered various estimates provided by Highway Director James “Jamie” Hutchinson before deciding on recommending the Bobcat AT450 gas-powered tractor.
“These machines are the machine, mower, plow, sander,” Hutchinson said. “Then we’ll want to regroup a bit in the spring on what else we want to do with the machine.”
The total cost of $52,792 includes $1,000 for a bucket attachment and additional money for an electric sander attachment.
Hutchinson said the blower and the sander can be run at the same time and the tractor can be serviced in either Bethel or Westbrook.
“We’re looking to do something to replace the problem now,” Board Chair Scott McElravy said.
Select board member Chris Summers said that the old tractor was fixed and running last year but simply died.
“It was running, and it quit. Like equipment does,” he said.
Following the special meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 23, the regular select board meeting will take place.
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