Chicopee City Council approves mayor's appropriations for vehicle repairs, police training and equipment, vests and other routine needs

The Chicopee City Council voted to approve a series of mayor's orders on March 18 that appropriate money from the city's undesignated free cash and other departmental accounts for vehicle repairs, police training and equipment, employee sick‑buybacks and routine council expenses.

The largest single appropriation approved was $120,000 for the Department of Public Works (DPW) central maintenance special account to cover repairs to city vehicles, primarily sanitation trucks, the council was told by the department superintendent. The superintendent, Liz Bautista, said the city has ordered three replacement trucks and received one, but delivery delays and heavy repair needs have left the maintenance account short for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The council also approved $47,100 for police education and training expenses (including travel to Fort Devens and academy-related costs), $46,150.65 for the purchase of 28 mobile police radios (11 allocated for recruits, 17 as replacements/spares), and…