HOULTON, Maine — Anyone who lives in northern Maine knows exactly how long and hard winters can be.
For at least five months of the year, residents can count on one thing — lots of snow. And with storms capable of dumping a foot or two of fresh wintry precipitation at any given time, having dependable equipment to remove that snow is a necessity.
Thankfully, the town of Houlton will have a new piece of equipment next winter to aid in its quest for clearing snow and has the Maine Department of Transportation to thank for picking up the bulk of the bill.
The town added a 2022 John Deere loader outfitted with a Larue snow blower to its fleet to help clear snow at Houlton International Airport next winter, Houlton Public Works Director Chris Stewart said Wednesday, June 1.
At a cost of $438,810, adding such a high-priced piece of equipment to the fleet is not something the town can easily do. But thanks to a grant from the MDOT that will cover 90 percent of the cost, the town will be able to do precisely that.
The Houlton Town Council accepted the bid of $438,810 from United Construction and Forestry of Houlton at a May 16 council meeting. The town’s share of the purchase is just $46,371, which represents 10 percent of the purchase price, plus administrative fees.
“This truck will be identical to the one we currently have, only newer,” Stewart said. “For the DOT to step up and do this for the town is huge. It allows us to get a specific piece of equipment that we need (at the airport).”
The grant award is not the first time that the town has received such assistance. Back in 2018, the town acquired a 2018 Western Star plow truck as part of a grant through the Federal Aviation Administration.
The town’s share of that $270,000 vehicle was just 5 percent (or roughly $13,500). An additional 5 percent was paid for by the Maine Department of Transportation, while the Federal Aviation Administration covered 90 percent of the purchase price.
Stewart said the town could have pursued a similar deal with the FAA for the 2022 John Deere loader, but if they had done so, the rig would have to be used exclusively at the airport. Under the deal with the MDOT, the public works department can use the loader in other parts of the town if needed.
The town’s 10 percent share of the purchase will come from the Airport Improvement account, having no impact on the 2022 municipal budget. Stewart said he expects the vehicle to be delivered to the town by December 2022 or January 2023.
