FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen accepted a bid Tuesday for a 2014 Freightliner truck cab and chassis for $75,628 from Freightliner of Maine in Westbrook.

The company was the second-lowest bidder, Public Works Director Denis Castonguay said. The lowest was $301 less, but didn’t meet the specifications the department requested.

Payment will be taken from the department’s equipment reserve account, which currently has a balance of $77,836, he said.

Public Works Foreman James Kiernan asked the board to consider purchasing an automatic vehicle. 

The one he drove, which burned a couple years ago, ran well, he said. A standard vehicle means more work shifting, especially on short streets around town, he said.

This new vehicle will replace the truck that burned in 2012, Castonguay said.

An automatic would cost a few thousand more than what is in the account, Castonguay said. It would also need a larger engine and does not have the automatic hold back or “Jake brake” for hilly terrain, he said.

“We could look at it another year and increase the budget,” he said.

There’s advantages and disadvantages to both, Town Manager Richard Davis said.

“Used plow gear and a dump body will be mounted on to the truck for this winter,” Castonguay said.

abryant@sunjournal.com