Capital improvement funds for needs like a new fire tanker faces Dresden, something the Board of Selectmen may have to deal with in the coming weeks.

 Fire Chief Gerald Lilly informed the board Monday one of the local fire department’s tankers has a leak. He said it is under warranty, which should cover the cost of repairs, but the town would have to pay for the removal of the tank from the truck first.

 “It’s something we’re going to have to sit down and talk about,” he said.

 Lilly said the 22-year old tanker has a lot of rust underneath.

Selectman Allan Moeller reacted abruptly to the news. “If we do go to town meeting to ask for money right now, we would be just shooting ourselves in the foot.”

The discussion of what a new truck might cost in comparison made the alternative sound prohibitive. Board of Selectmen Chairman Phil Johnston wondered if it would cost as much as $250,000 making it out of the question this year.

However, Lilly said the cost of a new tanker would come to more like $160,000.

“We need to start a fund to replace these trucks,” he said. Lilly complained the town should have started such a find 20 years ago and not find itself in this kind of a predicament.

Johnston said, “Before we talk we need to come up with suggestions of whether it goes on the warrant (this year).”

In response, Lilly said, “It should be an automatic article (every year).”

The town has not had an overall capital improvement plan for that, which Johnston said the comprehensive plan recommends doing. Whether that topic will appear on the budget review committee’s agenda in the next few weeks remains to be seen.

 The budget review committee will be meeting every Wednesday for the next two or three weeks at Bridge Academy at 6:30 p.m. to go over the board’s prospective budget proposals in preparation for the town’s annual town meeting in June.

New bridge issue

 In other business at their regular Monday night meeting, selectmen decided to grant permission to the Maine Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) for its new Dresden-Richmond bridge contractor to haul possibly over-limit gravel trucks on town roads.

 Moeller, who acts as the town’s road commissioner, said he believes the trucks would only be using the Lincoln Road and the state usually pays for any repairs for possible damage to the roads.

The MDOT has scheduled work to begin soon for the two-year multimillion dollar bridge project and will have haul gravel for the project over both state and town roads.

 “They’re not going to be hauling anything heavier than the logging trucks so we’re OK,” Johnston said.

Bog road project

 Moeller reported the roadwork planned to prepare Bog Road for paving will being in mid-June. “I don’t think it will take more than three weeks to get ready for paving,” he said.

Moeller plans to do the work of grading and laying down gravel in preparation for the paving on Fridays but could see a contractor doing it as well.

 “We will be sitting down to discuss what we will be doing,” Johnston said.

Johnston suggested a mailer for important dates coming up in the town especially for projects like the Bog Road improvement to alert residents of the road.

New business approval

 The board also approved a business permit request from Neal Amirault for a small used car dealership on Route 128 (River Road).

Members wondered about the name the owner wants, “Rt. 128,” whether it had received the OK from the town clerk. Administrative Assistant Trudy Foss said the town clerk received application for the business and its operation as a DBA (Doing Business As) qualification.

Selectmen made their vote contingent on confirmation of the business as a DBA.