RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON GENERATORS

The town of Sherman could soon have two functional municipal generators instead of a decades-old broken one.

Whether that happens, however, will lie in the hands of taxpayers next week.

Sherman residents will get to vote on the allocation of up to $48,000 for the purchase of two generators — one for Mallory Town Hall and one for the public works building — during a virtual town meeting on Jan. 28.

The Board of Selectmen is looking to spend up to $20,000 on a permanent generator for public works and up to $28,000 on one for town hall.

Funding for the generators would come out of the town’s capital and non-recurring account and be reimbursed by a Connecticut Local Capital Improvement Program Grant, according to the Board of Selectmen.

If approved, First Selectman Don Lowe said it would be the first time Town Hall has had a generator.

“Losing power at town hall creates many problems and we really need the backup,” he said. “I’d like to see us cover that emergency need.”

Lowe said the broken generator sitting at the public works garage is more than 30 years old.

“It has not been fixed and we aren’t probably going to fix it due to its age and present condition,” he said.

Not only is it difficult to get parts for such an old generator, but it would cost about $4,000 to fix the machine if the needed part were found, Lowe said.

The Jan. 28 town meeting will be held over Zoom and begin at 6:30 p.m.

Information on accessing the meeting will be sent out through the town’s NIXLE messaging system. To sign up for alerts, text 06784 to 888-777 or visit local.nixle.com/city/ct/ sherman.