Cheshire Officials Mull Purchase of Road Grader
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The town will look into purchasing a used Volvo grader to help maintain town roads.
The Selectmen come to a consensus Tuesday that they need a grader and Highway Superintendent Blair Crane brought forth a used machine pricing in around $100,000.
"We have been talking about it but we really never got serious about this and it is time," Selectman Robert Ciskowski said. "It is not too late but it is time to make a decision."
The town's current grader is antiquated and no longer useable. Repairing it would likely be cost-prohibitive and a new grader would come in around $300,000, a cost the town is not prepared to incur.
Last summer the town did rent a grader, however, this too was costly and ran the town nearly $4,000 a month. This is something the Selectmen do not want to continue doing.
"We need a grader. Renting one every month is not going to cut it," Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said.
Crane priced out a new grader but also noted the town could purchase the Volvo grader it currently rents out of Pittsfield for around $90,000.
"I think it is in decent condition obviously it is a used machine and has some hours on it but I think from looking at other vehicles in the price range it is where we need it to be," Crane said.
He added that there is a lot of crossover with Volvo parts and that the parts for this machine will be around for some time.
"They are on the hook for another 10 years for parts and they may put another five on after that so we would be looking at 2032 before parts would be an issue," Crane said.
Ciskowski said he was more confident purchasing the used unit knowing that the town will really only use it for grading.
"In the past, we used it more for snow plowing but that philosophy has changed," he said. "It would not be used all season and we would be cutting down winter use so that makes a used machine more viable."
Town Administrator Edmund St. John IV said the town would have to borrow for this purchase and asked that they compare numbers for borrowing both a used and new grader before drafting any language for town meeting.
Crane did add that someone else could purchase the grader in the interim.
He also requested a backhoe to replace the department's 2003 machine but Francesconi suggested asking town meeting for only a grader this year.
"I think we need to go for a grader this year and a backhoe next year because we aren't going to get both," she said. "It will be easier to get this year."
Crane said a new backhoe would cost $118,000.
In other business, St. John said he and Crane met with state Department of Transportation officials to discuss different options to remediate Route 116.
"They highlighted some options that we have and we will come to you soon about the options and what we can pursue," he said.
The state reached out to the town last month and asked that a meeting be scheduled to discuss Route 116 that the town is responsible for maintaining.
Some years ago, the town agreed to take over its section of the state highway but an overhaul of the decrepit road is not financially possible.
Tags: DPW equipment, state highway,
