FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday approved purchasing a machine to clear and maintain sidewalks during the winter.

Central Equipment Co. in Stillwater bid $162,995 for a 2024 Multihog CX75 MKII.

“This equipment is essential to enhance our department’s ability to maintain sidewalks efficiently, particularly during the winter months when snow removal is critical for public safety,” Public Works Director Phil Hutchins said. “Currently, our team relies on outdated and underpowered machinery that is both time consuming and prone to frequent breakdowns, leading to delays in service and increased maintenance costs.”

It is specifically designed for snow removal and general sidewalk maintenance such as sanding and salting sidewalks, he said. “It will allow us to work more effectively, ensuring that sidewalks are cleared promptly and kept in good condition throughout the winter months,” he said.

The machine comes with a two-year warranty, Hutchins said. It also will have a snowblower, hydraulic V-plow, dump body and drop sander attachments, according to information provided.

Chadwick Ba-Ross, with offices in Westbrook and Bangor, offered a 2024 Prinoth SW50 with snowblower and drop sander attachments for $190,000. HP Fairfield in Skowhegan offered a 2024 Trackless MT7 with a snowblower, drop sander, rear dump body and V-plow for $197,150.

“It seems like our sidewalks beat the heck out of machines and vice versa,” Selectman Richard Morton said. He asked if that was due to the operator or equipment not being suited for use.

“It is a combination between conditions and I guess the operators as well,” Hutchins said.

Risks come with having a machine big and powerful enough to cover the territory, Morton said. A smaller machine really wouldn’t do the job, he added.

A machine purchased in 2019 has a 49 horsepower engine, not a lot for municipal sidewalk equipment, Hutchins said.

The new machine has a 75 horsepower engine.

Asked if special training was required, Hutchins said salespeople allow it to be driven and go over its general functionality. There is an in-house assessment showing the operator all the functionality, he noted.

Town Manager Erica LaCroix said the company will accept a signed order and the town doesn’t have to pay immediately because it takes time to get the machine.

The money will come from the equipment reserve account, the same account the bucket truck purchase came from, Hutchins said. It would leave a balance of $190,510.

Hutchins said no one will take one of the town’s older machines in trade.

Bell suggested auctioning it off in the spring.