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Council approves appointments, contracts and budget transfers; gunshot detection system cleared
Summary
The Methuen City Council approved appointments, multiple vendor contracts and budget transfers at its April 7 meeting, including clearance for a gunshot detection pilot in the Arlington neighborhood and reappointment of the city’s CAFO.
The Methuen City Council on Monday approved a series of appointments, contracts and budget transfers recorded during roll-call votes and by unanimous consent for most items. Highlights included the reappointment of Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Maggie Dupree, approval of a gunfire detection system for the Arlington neighborhood, mental-health care coordination funding, several vendor contracts, and transfers from free cash to cover unanticipated fiscal-year and snow-and-ice costs.
Key outcomes
- Reappointment: Maggie Dupree, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer — Motion to reappoint carried by roll call (mover: Councilor Cerullo; second: Councilor Ferretra). The council recorded a unanimous roll-call vote in favor.
- Board appointments: Phil Contreras and Jose Frias were reappointed/appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals; roll-call votes were recorded and passed.
- C2569 — SoundThinking Inc. (gunfire detection system) — The council approved a three-year contract with SoundThinking for a gunfire detection system focused on the Arlington neighborhood; the motion (mover: Councilor Saffy; second: Councilor Cirillo) passed by roll call.
- C2570 — Care Solace Inc. (mental-health care coordination) — Approved for $50,000; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous.
- C2571 — Catalyst Tax Inc. (real/property valuation services) — Five-year certification contract approved; roll call recorded.
- Vehicle and equipment purchases (C2572 Liberty Chevrolet; C2574 Stryker Sales; C2573 Insight Public Sector implementation; C2575 apparatus purchase) — Council approved several vendor contracts for vehicles, equipment and software; most votes were unanimous.
- Budget transfers (TR25-17 and TR25-18) — Council approved transfers from free cash to cover unanticipated FY25 general fund costs and to fund DPW snow-and-ice expenses.
- Ordinances and public hearings — The council moved forward a petitioned rezoning item to the Community Development Board for a joint public hearing. The council also tabled an amendment to the door-to-door solicitation ordinance at the request of the deputy police chief to allow additional revisions.
Several items were approved with little debate and by roll-call tallies recorded in the minutes. Where members voiced reservations, those are reflected in the roll-call record. The full council transcript includes each roll-call sequence; the administration will execute contracts and proceed with procurement steps consistent with the approvals.
