LIVERMORE FALLS — The Select Board voted unanimously July 21 to retain a sewer department lawn mower and trailer for auxiliary use and sell a 26-year-old Hyundai loader used at the transfer station.

The mower and trailer remain serviceable and would likely be worth more to the town than the relatively small amount they could bring if sold. The loader, meanwhile, has already been replaced, may require significant repairs and could generate substantially more revenue for the town.

The mower could be stored near the town shooting range for use by the Police Department and as a backup if another mower breaks down. The trailer can haul the mower or be used for smaller jobs.

Estimated sale values discussed were about $1,000 for the trailer and $300 for the mower. Officials said neither could be replaced for what the town would likely receive from selling it.

The loader will be offered for sale after the town researches comparable equipment and establishes an asking price. A roadside sale was discussed rather than committing to a sealed-bid process.

Comparable older loaders had been advertised for more than $20,000, although those machines had fewer operating hours and did not include the town loader’s bucket.

Keeping the loader as emergency backup equipment was also considered. Estimates discussed included about $10,000 for a transmission repair, which could leave the town with a machine valued at about $30,000 and potentially capable of lasting another decade.

The Select Board ultimately agreed to proceed with the sale. The town’s capital replacement plan called for placing the proceeds in the public works reserve account.

“The mower and trailer are going to be retained and stored at the firing range. The loader will be sold,” Town Manager Carrie Castonguay said in an email.

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