Sangerville Fire Department open house, public hearing set for Tuesday

SANGERVILLE — Sangerville officials are considering different options concerning the fire department’s 1993 tanker truck that is currently off the road due to a failed inspection.

The three options are to fix the problems with the vehicle that has 400,000 miles and a standard transmission, replace it with a used truck or purchase a brand new model. 

Any decision would be made at a special town meeting, prior to which an open house will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 at the fire station. A public hearing to discuss the options will start that evening at 6 p.m.

Mentioning his background as a mechanic, Select Chair Jeff Peters said during a July 2 Select Board meeting that he does not see the value in fixing the 1993 tanker.

Problems include oil leaks, issues with the brakes and rot in the rear frame.

“The problem is we can’t get a sticker on it to keep it legal unless we get all the problems fixed,” Fire Chief Matt Blockler said. 

The chief won’t say the truck is safe unless it passes inspection and he has said he is not keen on spending money for repairs. 

A $60,000 repair has been mentioned, though how long the truck would last is unknown.

Blockler and Town Manager Brian Mullis have met with Androscoggin Bank Senior Vice President of Government Banking John Simko — who is a former Sangerville town manager  — and Angie Snow, assistant vice president and treasury officer on financing options for a potential new fire truck purchase. 

Blockler has researched new and used vehicles and presented a plan to purchase a new combination pumper-tanker to replace the 1993 vehicle as well as a reserve pumper. 

“The advantage to this plan is that it gives us a new fire truck that will be the primary fire truck for the next 20 years and is perfectly designed to fit the needs of our community,” Mullis wrote in his report on the town Facebook page.

“If we follow that plan, we will need to borrow money from our bank in a lease/purchase agreement that we can within a year, if the interest rate is better, switch to the Maine Bond Bank,” Mullis wrote. “The total cost of the new truck is approximately $580,000. When financed we will be paying in the ballpark of $70,000 a year for 10 years.”

Where this amount would fit in the municipal budget would need to be determined.

A new truck would take 16 to 17 months to construct to Sangerville’s specifications.

A used truck would be less expensive, but the market moves fast. Used vehicles 10 to 15 years old are selling for $200,000 to $300,000.

The fix would be quicker, but a used truck might only last eight or nine years, leaving the town in the same situation. 

With the 1993 tanker off the road, Sangerville relies on mutual aid agreements with nearby towns. 

Blocker believes the town has until the end of the month to have a plan in place before the possibility of these communities billing Sangerville for calls comes up.

In other business, Mullis said the town hall committee and Sangerville Historical Society have been meeting regularly and have come together as one group to restore the 125-year-old building. 

The historical society has a fundraising campaign for grant matching monies.

Some residents have asked that attention be paid to the town beach by Veterans Memorial Park on Manhannock Pond. 

Mullis and Code Enforcement Officer Lance Johnson visited the site as any improvement need to be in compliance with the shoreland zoning ordinance. 

A lot of brush could be cleared and the parks and recreation committee will be discussing this in the near future.

“Hopefully, with very little money and some volunteer work, we can improve our beach area significantly by the end of summer,” Mullis wrote.

The annual Town Knights Festival will be on Saturday, July 11. A parade starts at 9 a.m. from the Village Cemetery on Main Street and the procession heads to Veterans Memorial Park.

The rest of the festival will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park. Events include food, vendors, bounce houses and touch a truck, basketball three-point contest, car show, vendors and music.  

“We will publicly acknowledge that Drew and the committee are doing a phenomenal job for the town of Sangerville,” Mullis said in thanking Drewcilla Stone, who was there representing the beautification and event committee.