Board approves state grant agreement for historic records digitization

The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Aug. 4 to approve the City of Milford’s participation in the Connecticut State Library historic documents preservation grant program and authorized the mayor, city clerk and city attorney to take steps necessary to effectuate the agreement. During discussion the city clerk said the grant funds are used to hire an approved vendor for digitization and preservation of older documents. The clerk described the scope: “we have over 2,500,000 documents, many all the way back into the 16 hundreds,” and said the city must use a state-approved vendor; the clerk identified the vendor as URBO of Middletown for the current project. Alderman Casey asked how far digitization had progressed; the clerk said in-house work includes Board of Aldermen minutes from 1959 forward and that the grant-funded work focuses on older records, including indexes and land-record materials dating back to the 1600s. Alderman Federico asked whether grant receipts and spending flow through the general fund; Finance Director Peter Aradisi said they do not — the activity is recorded in a separate fund. A motion to approve the agreement was made and seconded; the board voted in favor with no recorded dissents. The clerk said the office will supply vendor details to aldermen upon request. No amendments were made to the contract at the meeting.