At Monday’s Board of Finance meeting, Superintendent of the Department of Public Works Devin Cowperthwaite asked permission to purchase a double drum roller using the proceeds from selling old, mostly broken equipment.
Auctioning the equipment garnered more than $40,000, which is roughly what a used double drum roller costs, according to Cowperthwaite. He also said the town’s current roller frequently breaks down, often when needed to complete paving projects. With big road projects slated for next year, a functioning roller will be key to completing the work on time. Cowperthwaite noted that winter is typically a good time to shop for drum rollers leased by other companies, which are now being returned to dealers after a couple of years of use.
Board member Harold Blake Hatch motioned to return the money to the General Fund, but it was not seconded. After the motion died, Anthony Armelin moved to let the DPW keep the funds and use them to purchase the needed equipment. Tony Pelligrino seconded the motion. The motion passed, with only Hatch voting against it. Now, Cowperthwaite just needs to find an available machine on a budget.