DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to authorize Town Manager Carlo Puiia to sign financing documents for a new firetruck and a bucket loader.

The town has been searching for a new pumper since the town voted in 2014 to borrow up to $399,000 for one.

Fire Chief Scott Dennett said at a board meeting in January that the department had been having a lot of issues with the electric components of its pumper.

“Rather than come up with a major overhaul for our old truck, I figured that we could get a new truck that would last us between 20 and 25 years,” Dennett said.

He said that of the five companies that submitted bids, Kovatch Mobile Equipment based in Nesquehoning, Pa., presented “the best overall solution for the department’s needs.”

The KME bid was approximately $450,000.

The truck would be paid from the $399,000 approved in 2014 and from the capital reserve account.

Puiia said “at least one person” had to be approved to sign the loan papers.

Selectman Hart Daley said, “Well, I definitely wouldn’t want to have my name on the papers,” at which Puiia laughed.

Public Works Director Calvin Beaumier told selectmen at their March 9 meeting, “We’ve gotten 26 years out of the loader we have right now. We’ve rebuilt the engine at least twice and have sent it up north to Limestone, where tens of thousands of dollars have helped fix it back up. At this point, it’s worn out. I can’t foresee it passing inspection again unless we dump a lot of money into it.”

Beaumier said he found a program to lease a $122,000 loader for three to five years, with an option to purchase at the end of the lease.

The selectmen decided to give Beaumier time to research other options before moving forward.

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