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By MIKE LANGE - GREENVILLE - The new municipal budget may be pretty tight, but the Greenville Board of Selectmen wholeheartedly supported a request by Fire Chief John Cobb to replace the town's aging and unreliable tanker truck this year. "We need a basic truck that meets safety guidelines. We're not looking for a luxury vehicle," Cobb told the board at its March 19 meeting. Still, prices range from $175,000 to $190,000 for a "plain Jane" tandem-axle tanker with a 3,000-gallon capacity, automatic transmission and a 500 gallon-per-minute pump. Town Manager John Simko and Cobb had previously outlined a plan to pay for the new vehicle at a minimal impact to taxpayers in a memo issued in late November. The Fire Department Apparatus Reserve Account has a balance of $55,000, and the final two annual payments on the 2002 KME custom pumper total approximately $37,000. Simko suggested that the town use $17,000 from this account to pay off the loan early, since one payment is scheduled to be made on July 1, anyhow. A loan for a new truck could be structured the same way as the old one, so there should be no impact on the tax rate, said Simko.The list of deficiencies in the old truck is lengthy. Cobb pointed out that the truck "isn't really a true tanker. It's an old oil tank on a truck chassis. It can't draw water. Plus, it leaks and is almost dangerous to drive," said Cobb. When the 1989 vehicle was first obtained by the town, the baffles were removed from the old tank to make the water flow easier. The trouble with that move, said Cobb, is that the water "sloshes all over the place, especially around curves. The only way you drive it decently is if it's either completely full or completely empty." During a parade a few years ago, the electrical system shorted out and started a fire in the cab. Another time, the truck struck a bump after returning from a fire call one night and all the exterior lights went out, said Simko. Cobb and Simko also noted that the town is in a good position to obtain a federal grant to help pay for the new vehicle, although there is usually stiff competition for a limited amount of funds. The town's rural nature, with a huge service area and rapidly-growing seasonal population, is a plus when federal officials consider funding requests. There was no debate but plenty of positive comments from selectmen, who supported Cobb's proposal. Any town meeting article on the purchase would also include language that would lower the appropriation if the federal grant was approved. Other items discussed at last week's meeting included Police Chief Scott MacMaster's monthly activity report. MacMaster said that while the number of incidents has increased in recent months, this does not mean that Greenville is having any type of "crime wave." The department is doing more patrol checks and has more "interaction with the public," said MacMaster, so these are noted as "incidents" in the department record. "Most of our complaints are relatively minor," he added. The long winter, coupled with high fuel oil prices and unemployment in the region "can set people off. But we can usually calm things down." MacMaster also asked the board to evaluate its law enforcement coverage contract with Beaver Cove, which is currently $3,000 annually. The chief said that according to his calculations, it costs considerably more than that in manpower and gas. "We only had 33 calls up there last year, but we do two patrols daily - one per shift," said MacMaster. Adding up the mileage and manpower came up to $3,900, he explained. "That's not including the time for processing other activities such as gun permits," the chief added. Simko said that MacMaster's concern has some validity, since the current rate was based on old energy prices and wages. The town manager said he would submit other alternatives, such as flat rate plus expenses or a percentage of the entire department budget. The Junction Wharf was back on the agenda, as Simko asked the board if they would consider seeking approval for a bond issue to at least partially fund the massive reconstruction project. The wharf has been slowly deteriorating over the years and needs a new retaining wall system, new pavement and an improved boat launch. The town currently has $121,000 available for improvements at the wharf through a federal grant, which includes about $30,000 for engineering work. The state is also planning to rebuild the boat launch facing the south end of the recreation area this fall, said the town manager. The board agreed to meet with state officials and engineers to get a better handle on the entire cost of the project, how it would be funded and when it could be completed. Once they have this information, they'll make a recommendation on any bond issues to the taxpayers.
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