MARION — Repair costs for a trash truck might hit $53,000, but Selectmen and the Department of Public Works refuse to send the truck to the dump as scrap, choosing to fix it instead.

Interim Department of Public Works Superintendent Jonathan Henry appeared before the Board of Selectmen on Feb. 19 to discuss the continuing issues around the town’s broken trash truck, recommending that they continue to fix the truck. 

The truck originally went out for repairs on the back axle, which cost the town around $7,000.  Then additional work was done to fix an over-pressurized engine. Despite this $18,000 spend, the truck still had the engine problem in road tests.

The dealer in Sagamore who is repairing the truck promised to take off 50 hours of labor costs, because the work did not fix the engine.

Additional work to fix the engine is estimated at about $25,000. However, Henry still recommended continuing with the work, rather than renting or purchasing another truck.

“I recommend we fix the truck, because without it we’re really buried. We would have to rent another, and if we get the truck up and running we will be able to sell it if we choose,” Henry said. Renting a trash truck costs $1,250 a day.

Selectman John Waterman suggested that the town have the overhead transmission serviced  while the truck is in the shop, to prevent any problems with that part of the truck.

Another Selectman, Randy Parker, did not seem pleased with the issues, but conceded that “at least we’re invested in our own truck.”

Marion has about $99,000 in its reserves, so using reserve funds for the truck would deplete about half the funds. However, without calling a Special Town Meeting to approve other expenditures, the Selectmen and Finance Director Judy Mooney saw no other option.

The Selectmen tentatively directed Henry to try to negotiate down the cost of additional fixes, but asked him not to commit to any repairs until they can talk to the Finance Committee on March 6.