ANDOVER – Voters will decide next week whether to raise money to replace the diesel fuel tank at the town garage.
The special town meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at the Town Hall.
Selectman Susan Merrow said that earlier this year, the town discovered its diesel tank at the town garage was leaking.
“Because of the perceived seriousness of the leak, we agreed that the tank should be removed,” she said. “Everything was removed and excavated by the Department of Environmental Protection, and we were given a clean bill of health. Our next step is to see if the town wants to replace the tank or not.”
Selectmen and the road commissioner recommend the town approve $12,000 for a tank.
A second article is to see if the town will vote to raise and/or appropriate money to replace the 1975 ladder truck with a 1995 ladder truck, which has a price of $100,000.
A separate article, if approved, would allow the treasurer and selectmen to issue general obligation securities for the 1995 ladder truck, and authorize them to set the term, fix the dates, maturities, interest rates.
According to Merrow, voters at the annual town meeting in March unanimously opposed raising and appropriating $11,000 to repair the 1975 ladder truck. They were also against starting an escrow account to buy a new or used ladder truck, as suggested by Fire Department Assistant Chief Ken Dixon.
If the town were to approve the Aug. 22 articles, the estimated cost of the 1995 ladder truck would be $105,177.47, with interest, in the form of a bond.
“Ken submitted a citizens petition to get an article on the warrant that would see if the town wanted to raise money to get the truck, so we put it on,” Merrow said.
Merrow said a public hearing to discuss the warrant may be scheduled prior to the town meeting.
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