MEXICO — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Tuesday evening to accept a free electric stove to replace one in the meeting room at the Town Office.

Town Manager John Madigan told the board last month the stove was getting expensive to maintain. Town Clerk Penny Duguay said she frequently found it on because the dial doesn’t indicate whether it’s on or off.

On Tuesday, Deputy Clerk Sheryl Briggs said the town has $700 to buy a new one.

Selectman Byron Ouellette said he researched prices.

“I checked with Sears, and they have a basic white electric stove on sale for $359,” he said. “I know we wanted to try and stay local, so I looked at Larsen’s Electric Service, and they also have a basic electric stove for $389.”

Ouellette said he also looked for used stoves and found a dealer in Auburn offering a five- or six-year-old stove for $175, with the potential to purchase two used ones for $300.

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“He said he would deliver the stove and everything,” Ouellette said.

“I have a free stove for you: a Vulcan commercial electric stove that’s just sitting in the back of my garage,” former Selectman Peter Merrill said.

Selectmen laughed, and board Chairman Richie Philbrick said, “Tell us more about this stove, Peter.”

Merrill said it is stainless steel and has a burner that doesn’t work.

“Burners aren’t that difficult to fix,” Merrill said. “I’ll just never have the time to look at it. It’s been sitting in my garage for two years.”

“Will you deliver?” Selectman Andy Dupuis asked.

“No way, that sucker is heavy,” Merrill said. “Just send the highway crew over to pick it up, take a look at the stove, and if it works OK, you can have it.”

The board voted to accept it and have the highway crew pick it up and deliver it.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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