Board of Finance approves $25,000 grant to upgrade Avon emergency operations center

The Avon Board of Finance voted unanimously March 24 to accept and appropriate a $25,000 Emergency Management Performance Grant to upgrade the town's Emergency Operations Center at the Avon Police Department. The Board approved the amendment to the FY 24/25 budget on a 5-0-0 vote.

Finance Director Tom DiStasio told the Board the grant comes through the State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and that Emergency Management Director Bruce Appel provided the grant memo outlining planned uses. The purchases enumerated for the Emergency Operations Center include wall monitors, audiovisual equipment, interior window shading and a computer with a docking station to be procured through the Town's IT department.

The Board's resolution increased Revenues: Capital Projects Fund (Facil & Equip), Intergovernmental, Emergency Management Performance Grant, Account #02-0330-43385 by $25,000 and increased Appropriations: Capital Projects Fund (Facil & Equip), Town CIP-Equipment, Emergency Operations Center Grant, Account #02-4837-53359 by $25,000 to fund the work at the police department. The motion was made by Micah Rousey and seconded by Carl Gisnarian; Gisnarian, Johnson, Lowry, Rousey and Szekeres voted in favor.

The appropriation is for capital and equipment updates to the Emergency Operations Center; no additional operating levy was proposed as part of this action. The Board did not attach further conditions in the meeting minutes. The next formal step is the usual process of procurement and implementation by the town departments identified in the grant memorandum.

Votes at the meeting were recorded as 5-0-0 for this resolution.