MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council has awarded the bid for a new pumper for the Fire Department to New England Fire Apparatus, which came in with a low bid of $364,962.

New England Fire Apparatus’ bid was the lowest of the three the town received; the other two were $366,580 submitted by Pierce Manufacturing and $384,025 from Warner Fire and Rescue Apparatus.

Most of the money to pay for the new pumper will come from the Fire Department reserve account, with the remaining $151,300 financed at 2.58 percent, which, according to Town Manager John Hawley, means payments of $53,058 for the next three years.

The council also discussed the effect the rescue department’s declining membership is having on its ability to respond to emergency calls at night.

Councilors asked Hawley if he would set up a meeting with Poland selectmen to see whether Poland Rescue could cover Mechanic Falls in the overnight hours.

Poland Rescue currently covers Mechanic Falls during the day.

Were this to happen, Hawley said, Mechanic Falls Rescue would likely be downgraded to the status of first responders.

Councilors made it clear that should Poland appear agreeable to such an arrangement, they would bring the matter up for public discussion before making a final decision.

The council was also pleased to learn that in the year since the board agreed to grant access for all-terrain vehicles to use town roadways, there have been no incidents or complaints.

Hawley told the board that while there may have been a few renegade motor bikes tearing down a road or two from time to time, police Chief Jeffrey Goss had received no official complaints.

“It would appear that members of the Boghooters ATV Club have done a very good job of policing and educating,” Hawley said.

In other business:

* Hawley reported that the decision to hire Shannon Moxcey as part-time General Assistance administrator appears to have been a good one because General Assistance payments for the past six months of 2014 were about $10,000 lower than comparable periods in recent years.

Hawley attributed the reduction to the fact that Moxcey was able to verify actual need.

* Councilors reviewed a letter from Androscoggin County commissioners, defending their decision to override the County Budget Committee’s recommendations made last November in the matter of the commissioners’ salaries and benefits.

The Maine Municipal Association’s legal team, Hawley told the board, has forwarded its reading and understanding of sections in new County Charter that deal with setting the commissioners’ recompense to Bryan Dench, attorney for the commissioners.

* The council voted to remove Andy Craig from the library board of trustees, citing lack of attendance at board meetings, and appointed Paula Bolduc to the board.

* The council appointed Catherine Griffiths to the town Budget Committee.