STRONG — Selectmen Tuesday considered a request for a special town meeting to revisit a March vote for a Highway Department purchase.

Selectmen at times expressed frustration with each other’s position about the plan to buy a backhoe instead of an excavator.

At the 2016 and 2017 town meetings, voters rejected the department’s request to buy an excavator. Instead, they approved money for a backhoe.

According to Selectman Mike Pond, the backhoe fills a town truck that travels an average of 20 to 30 minutes to empty the load and return. An excavator could speed up the process dramatically.

“It’s not an efficient use of time,” Pond said.

Board Chairman Dick Worthley expressed irritation that Pond would ask for a special town meeting to authorize the purchase of an excavator instead of the already authorized backhoe. He suggested Highway Department Foreman Duayne Boyd should continue with the equipment he had for the remainder of the summer’s ditch work or find another way to get the work done.

“There’s got to be 15 excavators in this town,” he said. “Hire someone to get it done with.”

Selectman Rob Elliott agreed with Pond and Boyd that an excavator is more efficient, but they said selectmen should not hold a special town meeting to overturn the original vote.

“I almost feel guilty bringing it up midyear to them,” Elliott said.

Selectmen did not take any action on Pond’s request.

In other matters, resident Roger Lambert asked selectmen to approve authorizing a quitclaim deed on property he planned to purchase.

“My attorney says I need one,” he said.

Over past generations of land ownership, he said, the town has taken possession of property when the taxpayers have lagged behind in payments. In many cases, the delinquent taxpayer will repay the debt and the town continues to collect taxes. The town also may sell the property, and the new owner will continue to pay property taxes.

Either way, Lambert said, the town always has been obligated to issue a quitclaim deed, whether to the original or new owner, once back taxes have been paid. That formality occasionally was overlooked, he said, and a proper title search will indicate that the town still owns the property.

Lambert said he is buying a small parcel abutting his property, and he requested that the town issue the quitclaim deed for the attorney handling the transfer.

Selectmen approved the request.

Selectmen also discussed the Opportunity Center of North Franklin County’s request for $786.92, which is the town’s share to continue the pursuit of improved broadband access.

Charlie Woodworth, the group’s representative, will meet with selectmen in two weeks to explain the next steps to organize the towns, townships and plantations to attract companies interested in providing high-speed access countywide.

The town charges account has $4,500 more than it did this same time last year, Worthley said, so selectmen agreed to use funds from that account. If the selectmen decided they weren’t interested in pursuing the project after hearing Woodworth’s presentation, they could withhold the check.