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New Shoreham council formalizes alarm, communications role and appoints longtime volunteer
Summary
The council updated the town appointment to create an alarm and communications officer role and voted to appoint longtime volunteer Hal Conant to the position; the change moves management and budget responsibility for town-owned alarm and communications systems under town oversight.
The New Shoreham Town Council voted to adopt a revised position title, alarm and communications officer, and to appoint longtime volunteer Hal Conant to that role.
Town staff presented the proposal as a formalization of duties that have existed informally for years. Staff member Amy briefed the council, saying the town “has historically had an alarm officer” but lacked a clear definition of the function, responsibilities or qualifications, and that recent investments in fire alarm monitoring and a town-owned communications system prompted the recommendation to codify the role and bring management and oversight into the town structure.
Amy told the council the systems are town assets and that the next step after formalizing the title would be to move the position to a staff role in the future and include funding in the FY26 budget: “Eventually… that being a staff position as well, which, again, is part of the natural evolution of the responsibility for those two systems.”
Councilors moved and seconded the recommendation and the council approved the appointment by voice vote; the meeting record shows a conventional aye/no voice vote and the chair declared, “The ayes have it.”
The council discussed accountability and budgeting during the item. One councilor emphasized that, until the position is a paid staff role, the town manager’s oversight should be explicit so responsibilities and purchasing authority are clear. Amy said the FY26 budget will include a proposal for a stipend or other funding for the role, with exact scope “depending on what we can afford.”
Staff also confirmed that a private contractor, FreedomTech, will continue to assist with connectivity under the town’s service agreement but that FreedomTech’s contract does not specifically include fire alarm monitoring; town staff and vendor consultants will support the transition.
The council took the action at a regular meeting; the voice vote concluded the agenda item and the meeting moved on to related appointments.
