Scituate Select Board Approves $673,090 Vacuum Truck Purchase, Closes Fall Town Meeting Warrant
New 2026 vacuum truck will replace aging 1998 model used for sewer maintenance and emergency response, while fall special town meeting set for November with 12 articles.
SCITUATE - The Scituate Select Board approved the purchase of a new 2026 vacuum truck for $673,090 at its Aug. 5 meeting, replacing a 1998 model that has served the town for more than two decades. The board also closed the warrant for the fall special town meeting scheduled for Nov. 3, 2025.
The vacuum truck, manufactured by Vactor, is essential for sewer maintenance and emergency response throughout the town. Department of Public Works Director Kevin Cafferty emphasized the truck's critical role during emergencies.
"My worst day at DPW was one particular July 3rd when we had sewer manholes bubbling up over next to the reservoir," Cafferty said. "We brought the Vac truck over. We had to clean. It was a grease plug. We were able to clean the grease plug and get the sewage flowing."
The new truck will be used for routine maintenance as well as emergency situations. Cafferty explained that the department evaluated multiple options before selecting the Vactor model.
"We checked a lot of trucks out. We went to a bunch of equipment shows and looked at all the different options," he said. "The truck the guys like the best was the one from Vactor."
The department coordinated with Westwood, which recently purchased the same model, to ensure the truck would fit in existing town buildings. Westwood's DPW director provided feedback on the truck's performance in similar municipal operations.
Select Board member Susan Harrison expressed disappointment that pictures of the truck weren't included in the meeting materials but noted the equipment's impressive capabilities after researching it online.
"It's got a big thing that comes down and it goes gigantic vacuum," Harrison said.
The vacuum truck purchase was included in the town's capital plan and represents a significant investment in maintaining the town's sewer infrastructure. The equipment features a large vacuum system and can shoot cleaning equipment down pipes to clear blockages.
In other business, the board closed the warrant for the fall special town meeting, which will include approximately 12 articles with no citizen petition articles submitted. Finance Director / Town Accountant Nancy Holt confirmed the warrant closure prevents additional articles from being added unless the board reopens it.
One notable article on the warrant involves a $120,000 desalination study requested by the Water Resources Commission. Town Administrator Jim Boudreau explained that the commission has completed its research and now needs professional consultation to determine next steps.
"They've kind of done all their research. Now they're looking for someone to actually say, okay, this is what you could do if you wanted to take some water and use it for irrigation purposes," Boudreau said.
The board also received updates on the water treatment plant construction project, which remains on schedule. The $59.2 million project is 38% complete by payment and 35% complete by time, with substantial completion expected by June 8, 2026.
Project representatives reported that 537 submittals have been closed to date, with process equipment reviewed and approved. The focus has shifted to instrumentation and control panels.
"We're still on schedule," said the project representative, Lauren Hertel. "Our contractor schedule shows that the critical path items are moving right along."
Construction progress includes 72% completion of concrete placement, with approximately 4,500 cubic yards of the total 6,000 cubic yards poured. Masonry work on the garage area is becoming visible to the public, and steel work for elevated buildings will soon appear above grade.
The board addressed concerns from a Chief Justice Cushing Road resident about dirt and debris from construction trucks affecting her property. Officials assured immediate response to any runoff issues and committed to additional street sweeping when necessary.
The board also accepted a $3,700 donation from Liberty Bay Credit Union for a retractable awning for the fire department's new special operations truck. The awning will protect equipment and provide shelter during extended operations.
Liberty Bay CEO John Barron explained that the truck serves multiple purposes beyond diving operations, including swift water rescue, surface water incidents, and command post functions.
"We've added multiple uses. Any type of water incident now, flooding, swift water, surface water, we're getting more training and more equipment to deal with," Barron said.
Other business included approving contracts for crack sealing services with Indus Asphalt Sealing and earth materials contracts with TL Edwards Inc. and Lorusso Corp. These contracts provide unit pricing for materials like stone, gravel, and asphalt through the Metropolitan Area Planning Council's cooperative purchasing program.
Board members scheduled additional meetings for December to accommodate budget season discussions, adding meetings on Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 to the regular Dec. 8 meeting. The board also appointed Harrison as the town's representative to the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 6:30 p.m.