Lyndeborough approved the purchase of a new backhoe or loader for the town in a hand-count vote at Town Meeting on Saturday.
In the only vote close enough to call for a hand count, Town Moderator Walter Holland said in an interview on Saturday, voters approved using $150,000 for the purchase of a backhoe or loader to replace the highway department’s 2007 backhoe.
Voters approved the article in a 39-13 hand count vote.
With the majority of items being additions to capital reserves, Holland said the most discussed items this year were the conservation of the town forest and an after-meeting discussion on whether or not the town should build a sub-station for its fire department.
“Those were the two articles that took a lot of discussions, and they were the two that didn’t spend any money,” Holland said.
Despite those discussions, the entirety of the town’s warrant passed unamended, Holland said.
In addition to the backhoe or loader, there were a few other purchases approved, including a new cutting rescue tool for the fire department for $7,500, which will come from the capital reserve. Voters also approved $25,000 from capital reserves for a fire department cardiac monitor and defibrillator.
Voters also approved a street light project to remove about half of the light poles in town and replacing the remaining nine with LED lights. The project is estimated to cost $7,400, and the town anticipates the lighting to pay for itself through energy savings within three years.
Lyndeborough had already, at a previous meeting, adopted a town forest, and this year, approved putting it under a conservation easement, after some discussion about what will still be allowed on the property, Holland said. Recreational activities such as hiking aren’t prohibited under the conservation easement, Holland said, and after clarifying that, the article was passed with a voice vote.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.