FARMINGTON – The Board of Selectmen authorized the purchase of a new backhoe loader for the Public Works Department Tuesday by a vote of 3 – 2.

A bid for a JCB 4CX14 at $97,495 was accepted from Oliver Store in Farmington but not before the board discussed the merits of purchasing outright as opposed to a lease purchase.

The need to replace the Public Works equipment wasn’t in question but whether to spend the budgeted $85,000 with the rest taken from the $30,000 left over in the reserve account or to lease the machine so as “to free up much needed money for smaller items needed for our operations,” Director Denis Castonguay recommended.

He suggested purchasing two Compu-Spreads and one set of plows to replace plows he noted as being very old and only capable of being repaired so many times. These items would cost $25,000 and he suggested rolling over the remainder of the budgeted money to help purchase more equipment next year.

“We should be earning interest,” Selectman Dennis Pike said reminding the board how the town purchased equipment outright in the past when the money was available.

Selectman Jon Bubier moved to purchase the equipment calling for a vote.

Of the six bids received, both Castonguay and Shop Foreman Greg Soule recommended the JCB loader from Oliver even though it wasn’t the lowest bid.

The JCB has the capacity to do excavation and loader work and could replace three of the department’s aging machines. The department’s Drott excavator and Cat loader are also overdue for replacement, they told the board.

Wanting to see the town’s 30-year-old plows replaced also, Selectman Nancy Porter voted against purchasing the backhoe loader outright as did Selectman Ryan Morgan.