Mechanic Falls council moves $43,500 to solid waste reserve to fund transfer‑station equipment

Town Manager Vic Hodgkins told the council the town’s shared bulldozer recently failed and had been temporarily repaired for about $8,000, and that a new or used replacement will cost considerably more than what is currently in the Solid Waste Reserve. Hodgkins proposed moving $43,500 from the Police Training Reserve to the Solid Waste Reserve to help fund the purchase.

Councilor Sonny Morgan moved the transfer, and Councilor Ray Lavoie seconded. The council approved the motion 5-0. Hodgkins said Public Works had provided input on the appropriate size and type of bulldozer so it could be used by both departments. Councilor Lavoie said he believed half the funds should be allocated to Solid Waste and the other half considered for police equipment, but the council ultimately approved the single transfer as proposed.

The discussion also noted the Transfer Station compactor replacement was arriving at Atlantic Recycling and that construction of the compactor “doghouse” was expected to be completed between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hodgkins additionally reported IB Controls had upgraded building thermostat software and that he was seeking pricing to link the boiler and valve systems to better manage heating and reduce costs.

The council tabled, for further research, a separate motion to move all monies from the Voting Machine Reserve to the Solid Waste Reserve. That item will be revisited at a later meeting.

The council’s approval is a fund‑transfer to internal reserve accounts; no specific purchase contract or vendor award for a bulldozer was recorded in the meeting minutes.