The Candia Board of Selectmen on July 14 voted to accept a $4,800 state grant to support targeted speed and distracted-driving enforcement, with the town required to provide a $1,200 match, Police Chief Alex said.
The grant package that the department submitted included three line items, each for $1,600, and the chief told the board the total award is $4,800. "We were awarded 4,800," he said. The town must match the award by $1,200.
Nut graf: The grant funds will pay for officers assigned to dedicated enforcement shifts, the chief said, and the state audits those shifts. If approved and signed, the town can begin enforcement in October and later apply for related equipment grants such as radar units or speed trailers.
Under the program, officers on grant-funded details work focused shifts — typically a four-hour window — and auditors verify that the officers stayed on-task rather than diverting to general calls, the chief said. He described the grant as companying both speed and distracted-driving enforcement modules and emphasized that the funding can pay for overtime patrols and help support requests for new equipment.
The grant acceptance was moved and the board voted to approve the award and related paperwork; members were asked to sign the paperwork in the meeting packet so the police department could submit the final documents to the state. Selectboard voting was recorded during the meeting; the board chairman asked for signatures to complete the acceptance paperwork.
Board members and staff discussed local safety concerns that motivated the application, including a recent crash near the rail trail and persistent line-of-sight problems at a curved section of roadway where pedestrians and trail users cross. Road agent Jeff and the chief reiterated interest in a road study and potential town ordinances to reduce posted speeds on segments where sight lines and adjacent pedestrian activity are problematic.
Next steps: the board signed the grant paperwork and the police department will collect signatures to complete the state's submission. If the program proceeds as described, the department expects to start the enforcement details in October and to pursue equipment grants supported by the program.