By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

The town may have to rely on two trucks for trash pickup the rest of the year, now that its third truck has been out of service for five weeks.

Goffstown Public Works Director Carl Quiram told the selectmen at their Monday, Aug. 1, meeting that the town's third trash truck – Truck 375 – has been inoperable for five weeks and that the cost to fix it is estimated at over $16,000.

"The concern (public works) has is, if we spend $16,000 on it today, it will still be two to three months until we get the truck back because parts need to be special ordered," he said.

Quiram recommended not paying to have the truck fixed and to wait until next year to replace it. He said the truck has been fixed numerous times and if it were fixed again, it might have other problems again by mid to late fall.

He said if only two trucks are operating in town, then trash will take precedence for pickup. When trash routes are completed, the trucks will return to pick up recyclable materials. However, he said this alternative could present two problems – people will arrive home to find recyclable materials still there, causing an increase in calls to public works, and potential issues with the town's noise ordinance may develop because some materials might not be picked up before 7 p.m.

Selectman Robert Wheeler said there has been a growth in recycling in town, and the lack of a third truck must not hinder residents from recycling.

"If (public works) does not want to fix the truck, there needs to be a duplication of effort that is created," he said.

The selectmen discussed the option of speaking with Manchester or Nashua's public works to see if they have a spare truck for Goffstown to use.

Gossett McRae suggested fixing the truck if the town can do so for under $10,000.

Wheeler said if public works does not want to fix it, they must find a viable alternative.

"There needs to be more options on the table," he said. "We need to keep fighting on behalf of Goffstown."

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Also discussed at the meeting were four highway safety requests.

Police Chief Michael French spoke to the selectmen about requests by residents for two "blind driveway" signs, a reduced speed limit on a town road and a stop or yield sign at a town intersection.

French said police performed two line-of-sight studies for "blind driveway" sign requests at 28 and 22 East Dunbarton Road. He said he did not recommend the two signs because line of sight stopping distance requirements at the two locations were fulfilled.

However, he recommended a request for a stop or yield sign at Grady Road and Montelona Road, which he said is a potentially dangerous intersection.

French also did not recommend lowering the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph on Maple Avenue, based on a resident request.

He said although the speed limit on the street is currently 30 mph, a police radar survey showed that most residents only drive 23 mph on the road. He also said that there are not any other 25 mph speed zones in Goffstown.