Town to replace aging alarm radio mesh with cellular monitoring; $84,456 contract contingent on finance approval

The Board of Selectmen approved a request to enter into a contract with Silent Watchman to upgrade town building fire‑alarm monitoring systems from a radio‑mesh arrangement to cellular monitoring. The first‑year project cost presented at the meeting was $84,456 plus a contingency of $4,200; the board recorded the request as contingent on a transfer to be approved by the Board of Finance.

Public‑works staff said the town has seen repeated failures and a growing number of communications dropouts with the legacy radio mesh network. The mesh system uses site repeaters that were no longer reliable, staff said, producing hundreds of failed notifications in recent months that then recovered. The vendor proposed replacing the mesh with cellular‑based communicators and additional backups; staff said the new monitoring technology includes cellular subscriptions that increase ongoing monitoring fees.

The proposal includes components for parts and labor to replace mesh devices and setup, plus ongoing monitoring and inspection services. The town’s staff recommended switching providers to a firm that sells and services the same equipment and has local coverage and capacity to respond. The board approved the contract contingent on the Board of Finance saving the transfer at its July 24 meeting.

Selectmen were informed the new system will raise monitoring fees beginning next year because of cellular service costs; staff said they will continue to negotiate monitoring rates and provide regular inspections and maintenance under the contract.