OXFORD — Selectmen agreed Thursday night to go out to bid for a new fire truck.

“This ia a process to determine what the market bears for a top of the line truck,” said Selectman Peter Laverdiere.

In April, Oxford Fire Department captains and paramedics Carl Van Nest and Shawn Cordwell told selectmen they had requested three bids for a new fire engine and two of the three vendors had responded during a pre-bidding process The low bid came in at $500,000.

According to selectmen, there is $250,000 in the fire engine replacement line item.

The need for a new fire truck has been under study for several years.

In 2014, former Oxford fire Chief Scott Hunter, who now serves on the Board of Selectmen, told the board that a committee had determined after nearly a year’s study that buying a new truck versus a used one was expensive but in the long run would benefit the town. Hunter said at that time that if a new truck was not purchased down the line it could mean replacing almost $2.6 million in equipment.

In other business, selectmen on a four to one vote, with Selectman Roger Jackson casting the dissenting vote, agreed to institute a health insurance payback policy which will pay employees a cash amount for not taking the town’s health insurance.

It is a move that is currently used in the SAD 17 school district and one that is used in other municipalities across the state.

Chairman Scott Owens said the procedure would be “better for the town” because it could mean “substantial savings.”

The board will determine how much money will be offered at a late date.

Warren Bennett, supervisor of the transfer station, met with board to request an increase in certain disposal fees.

The board voted to increase the demolition disposal to $100 per ton. The price of shingles will rise from $65 a ton to $75 a ton. The price of tires with a rim was set at $2 a tire along with $2 to dispose of a propane tank

The board also discussed setting a higher rate for commercial haulers who use the town’s transfer station. Bennett said the current fee doesn’t even include the transportation costs for the town to bring it to an Auburn facility.

Some board members said they did not have an issue with town commercial haulers but it’s unclear where there trash is coming from.

The board will determine what rate it may charge and discuss it at the board’s next meeting.

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