Milford, N.H.  The Milford Board of Selectmen on July 14 authorized staff to sign an application and proceed to the next step in seeking a Granite State Clean Fleets grant from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to fund a six‑wheel dump truck equipped for plowing.

What the grant would cover: The presenter, Leo Lazard, told the board the grant is a 70/30 split (70% grant, 30% town match). Lazard described the planned vehicle as "a six wheeler dump truck, equipped with the plows, sand, the body, everything," and said the new unit would replace the town's oldest truck, which staff say has been repaired repeatedly. Lazard also said the grant program requires the replaced vehicle be destroyed and not resold or cannibalized for parts.

Cost and timing: Lazard said the two vendor quotes for the replacement body and equipment totaled roughly $292,000 to $300,000. He said the town must front the full purchase cost and will be reimbursed by the grant; the town's share is about 30% and the purchase must be made in 2026 if the grant is awarded. Lazard said the town has spent approximately $49,000 in repairs on the aging vehicle to date.

Why it matters: During public comment and board discussion members asked whether accepting a grant would remove the vehicle from the town's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Staff recommended keeping the CIP entry until the grant award is final because the CIP will be used before a final award is known. Committee members said if the grant is awarded it could free up CIP funds for other projects.

Action taken: The board voted to authorize the vice chair to sign the grant application/agreement documents and to proceed to the next administrative step. The vote was taken by voice and the chair declared the motion passed. Staff emphasized that signing the application does not guarantee an award; if selected, the town will need to complete purchase and then be reimbursed.

Discussion versus decision: The discussion covered grant conditions (must scrap the replaced vehicle), required upfront payment and reimbursement timing, potential use of block grant road funds to advance the purchase, and the interaction of the award with the CIP. The formal decision was administrative: authorize staff to sign application/consent documents to move to the next step.

Next steps: Staff will submit the signed application, await NHDES decisions (staff estimated a decision perhaps by the end of the year though no firm date was given), and, if awarded, complete procurement in 2026 and follow grant documentation rules including scrapping the replaced truck.