CHESTERVILLE — At a special selectpersons meeting held at the town garage Monday, Nov. 1, replacing the engine in the 2004 Ford F550 was authorized. Updates on other truck repairs were given and the driver shortage briefly addressed.

The motor is gone in the 550, Selectperson Chairman Tiffany Estabrook said. “We had put a turbo into it, can’t remember the exact date. It had low compression for a number of years. The 6.0 liter diesel has had lots of issues.” The 6.0 has been upgraded since to address them, she noted.

According to Farmington Ford, when that new turbo was put in, the No. 1 and No. 6 injector blew, she said. To repair it would be more costly than putting a new one in, Estabrook noted. Farmington Ford suggested putting one of the updated new ones in, she added.

“As far as the truck itself, their recommendation is to repair it, especially given the 6.0 motor has been upgraded and comes with a five-year warranty,” Estabrook said.

There’s nothing wrong with it other than that, she added.

When the truck was purchased, it had 5,000 to 6,000 miles on it, highway worker Jack Moultrie said. It now has about 72,000 miles, Estabrook noted.

“One thing not recommended with the 6.0 is just idling,” Estabrook said. “It’s not good for the truck. Probably there were a number of projects it wasn’t shut off. I can’t attest to what happened before I was here.”

The new motor and installation will cost about $18,000, she said. The money can be taken from the public works reserve account without needing a special town meeting for approval, Estabrook noted. Ford has the motor in stock, can have it done and back by the end of next week, she added.

“I called Hight Ford in Skowhegan,” Estabrook said. “They were the same within $500 but they would have to re-diagnose which is another $350.”

Getting something else was recommended by Selectperson John Archer.

That would require a special town meeting, Estabrook said.

“I don’t see many options at this point,” Estabrook said.

“We’re almost to winter,” Selectperson Tim LeSiege said. “Finding a new (truck) that’s reasonable is going to be tougher. You can’t be without snow removal equipment in the winter time.”

“If it was me, I’d go for it,” Moultrie said. “You don’t know what you’re going to get, won’t find a truck used.”

If it was April it would be a different story, LeSiege said prior to the vote.

Merrill’s garage in Jay has the parts in for the other plow trucks, Estabrook said. The speed sensor module that is stuck on one truck is in and can be replaced by the end of next week, she noted. A diesel leak on the GMC can also be fixed and be back by then, while replacing an air can in another truck can be done in-house, she noted.

“All towns are in the same boat, just waiting for parts,” Estabrook said.

Hard decisions on the drivers situation and what the town wants to do are needed, she said. Most of those on the on-call list for nights and weekends have other jobs, aren’t always available, she noted. Advertisements and knocking on doors have been tried, she added.

The driver issue was to be discussed in more detail at the next board meeting.

“The labor situation is everywhere,” Moultrie said.