Brentwood Select Board approves plan to buy new John Deere loader, authorizes one-month rental

The Brentwood Select Board voted to move forward with the purchase of a new John Deere front-end loader and approved a month-to-month rental while the town finalizes funding arrangements.

The vote on the purchase followed a presentation from town staff and highway personnel on options considered after a previously discussed used loader was sold. The board agreed to amend the warrant presented at town meeting to $169,005.74 to reflect the actual price of the new machine and a five-year extended warranty; members said they will ask town counsel whether that appropriation can be changed to draw from fund balance at town meeting.

The board also approved an immediate rental of a comparable loader for $4,500 for one month, with 80 percent of the rental credited toward purchase if the town completes a buy. The rental is intended to provide immediate equipment availability for snow removal, brush and tree work, and other highway tasks while the purchase is finalized.

Why it matters: Highway staff said the loader is central to emergency response and routine operations — clearing trees after storms, moving brush piles, loading trucks during snow events and servicing planned developments such as the three-pond campground referenced by staff — and that relying solely on a backhoe would limit response capacity.

What the board heard and decided Wayne, a highway department staff member who evaluated machines and worked with a John Deere representative, described two recent options: a used 2016 Komatsu loader that lacked warranty coverage and a new John Deere 444 offered with trade-in and warranty options. “I don’t wanna spend your money for that and then have it go bad on me. I said, no. No. I don't wanna do that,” Wayne said of the used machine.

Andrea, a town staff member presenting the quote, said the new machine comes with a one-year warranty standard and that an optional four- or five-year extended warranty would cost roughly $4,000 extra; the board’s preferred package included the five-year extension and produced the $169,005.74 figure.

The board discussed the risk that voters could defeat the warrant at town meeting. “As you probably know, no means no in New Hampshire. So if this warrant gets defeated, we cannot purchase a front end loader,” a board member said, noting that a failed warrant would block a purchase and that renting remained an option but was not currently budgeted.

Action, movers and vote - Motion: Accept highway staff recommendation to select the new John Deere loader and plan to amend the warrant to $169,005.74 to include a five-year warranty (mover: Paul; second: Andy). Roll-call: Andy — aye; Paul — aye; John — aye; Lenny — aye; Letty — aye. Outcome: approved. - Motion: Authorize Wayne to rent a loader for one month at $4,500 (mover: not specified in the record; second: John). Roll-call: Andy — aye; Paul — aye; John — aye; Lenny — aye; Letty — aye. Outcome: approved.

Next steps and conditionsThe board asked staff to check with town counsel on whether the warrant appropriation can legally be amended at town meeting to be funded from the town’s fund balance rather than from a tax impact. If counsel confirms the approach, the board intends to propose the appropriation from fund balance at the town meeting ballot or warrant article in real time. Andrea will prepare the exact warrant language and confirm legal permissibility before town meeting.

Budget and rental detailStaff said the rental price was about $4,500 for a month and that, under the vendor’s terms presented, 80 percent of a one-month rental payment would be applied to purchase if the town elected to buy the rented machine. The board emphasized the one-month rental is month-to-month, not a long-term lease.

Context and prior historyThe board said a previously considered used loader was sold to another buyer during the prior meeting, prompting staff to return with new John Deere pricing. Highway staff noted future demands, including increased snow-clearing needs at the three-pond campground development, as part of the equipment justification.

EndingThe board approved both the purchase plan (subject to counsel review and a town-meeting appropriation) and a short-term rental to ensure equipment availability for imminent highway needs.