Since March, the Andover Select Board and appointed Road Agent Jon Champagne have been working hard to fix and maintain our roads and properties while keeping a close eye on the budget.  Additionally, the Highway Department Committee put together a comprehensive recommendation which included equipment acquisitions and outlined very specifically how these purchases will save Andover money.  

As a result of these combined efforts, our Highway Department was able to make some additions to our own fleet, saving substantial taxpayer dollars in rental and labor costs.

The Highway Department has purchased a Ford ¾-ton truck outfitted with a plow and sander.  This truck will serve the Town well year-round.  Having two operational trucks for our two full-time Highway Department employees means increased job safety, increased in-house project work, and a significant decrease in equipment rental and labor costs (due to a decrease in outsourcing project work).

The department has also rented a backhoe.  The rental agreement was negotiated with a rent-to-own option with 80% of the rental fees going towards the purchase price should the Town approve this purchase at the 2021 Town Meeting.  As with the ¾-ton truck, owning a backhoe that our employees can use on projects substantially decreases our rental and labor costs.

Currently, the Highway Department is within its budget overall and $17,543 under budget in rentals (compared to last year’s $88,000 over-budget in rentals alone).  These savings are a direct result of a concerted effort to identify and apply cost-saving strategies while maintaining the integrity of the department and the work being done.  

Having an appointed Road Agent with flexibility, creativity, and the experience to work cooperatively and transparently with the Select Board has been vital to the realization of these savings and acquisitions.