Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board reviews ARPA project list and asks staff for an October update
Summary
Concord staff presented proposed allocations for remaining ARPA funds, including technology, transportation, affordable housing seed funds, drainage and culvert work, and recreation studies; the board asked for a follow-up update in October and held the ALS paramedic match for further FinCom review.
Town Manager and staff summarized how the town received $5.654 million in ARPA funds and walked the board through remaining commitments and a proposed list of 12 projects totaling about $2.78 million for the remaining pool. Projects included a Munis payroll/HR module ($100,000), Concord250 tree initiatives ($125,000), a $500,000 affordable-housing allocation (recommended to seed acquisition/partnership for 91B Main Street), small-sidewalk matching around Lowell Road, Thoreau Farm multi-modal access, body-worn camera replacement ($100,000), a $150,000 match to a federal ALS paramedic implementation grant, options analysis for replacement/upgrades of Doug White Field ($100,000), a $1 million estimate for Baker Avenue culvert repair, $450,000 to complete the Main Street/Baker intersection, and $75,000 for White Pond drainage study.
Board members requested more detail on items with time sensitivity (Route 2 corridor work, Baker Ave culvert and Doug White Field alternatives), asked staff to clarify which previously-approved ARPA items are fully committed vs. unspent, and agreed to hold the ALS match item pending a FinCom presentation. The board asked staff to provide an ARPA update to the Select Board in October that clarifies program commitments, the status of previously approved projects, and any reprogrammable balances (noting $63,960 allocated in the current proposal and a $297,000 parking-meter fund balance that requires Town Meeting action to repurpose).
Staff noted some projects are time sensitive because consultants are already engaged and delaying work could push schedules out by a year or more. The board agreed generally with the types of activities proposed but asked for the requested clarifications and an October follow-up.
