The town of Boothbay will receive a shiny new fire truck by fall of next year. Selectmen approved spending up to $450,000 for a replacement to the Boothbay Fire Department’s Engine No. 4. The department received three bids for a truck replacement from E-One (Greenwood) for $442,500, Metalfab (K and T) $448,686 and Pierce (Allegiance) $434,405. 

Fire Captain Tim Pinkham told selectmen Feb. 24, the department prefers the Metalfab truck. “There are a bunch of reasons. We have one in our East Boothbay station and it’s the best service we’ve had,” he said. “Also, we’ve had mixed reviews on the E-One and find it difficult servicing trucks from different manufacturers,” Pinkham said. 

Town Manager Dan Bryer said “the town had been squirreling money away for years in preparation for replacing Engine No. 4.” Pinkham reported Engine No. 4 was close to 30 years old and experiencing more repairs and service. The department plans on selling Engine No. 4 after receiving the new engine next fall. 

In other action, selectmen held the first public hearing regarding the Fiscal Year 22 municipal budget, but no one attended. A final public hearing is scheduled March 10 prior to the board meeting. Selectmen will finalize the budget after the hearing. On Feb. 24, selectmen heard the final outside agency’s municipal funding request. Boothbay Region Ambulance Service Board Member Robbie Ham explained the agency’s funding increase request. BRAS has a $1,508,753.60 FY 22 budget. The service is seeking $343,240.80 from Boothbay. Ham reported the request is a 16% increase. “The major change is how COVID-19 impacted the funding formula. Calls to Boothbay Harbor where down,  and the formula is based on the number of calls and population,” he said. 

Town Manager Dan Bryer reported the ongoing Boothbay/Boothbay Harbor sidewalk project along Route 27 may resume this year. The project began 11 years ago with a proposal to construct a sidewalk from the Boothbay Region YMCA in Boothbay Harbor to Clifford Park in Boothbay. The two towns, BRYMCA and federal monies are funding the project. The project has been delayed several times, but most of Boothbay’s portion is complete. Bryer reported all but 400 feet to the town line is done. “We want to bid the project in two parts,” he said. “Doing it this way will free up some money. It’s an 80/20 split between federal and local funding. This will free-up some of that federal money,” Bryer said. 

Selectmen meet next at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10 via Zoom conference.