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Town manager: RFID rollout set for July 1; fire department warns new drug‑vault requirements add cost amid staffing strain
Summary
Town Manager reported the transfer station RFID system is scheduled to go live July 1; the fire department said new state rules requiring locked vaults for certain drugs add about $8,000 per vehicle, and EMS reported about 27 open shifts in June, highlighting staffing pressures.
At the June 8 meeting the town manager gave operational updates including staffing, technology and public works projects, and the fire department summarized new state requirements and staffing pressures.
The town manager said the RFID system at the transfer station is being phased in with a July 1 go‑live date; until then staff are using paper workarounds and will reload tags so the system functions fully on that date. On fiber infrastructure the manager said most fiber has been run and IT consultants are installing firewalls and running connections into municipal buildings.
On public safety, a fire department representative described recent state changes that require locked vaults in emergency vehicles to store certain drugs and estimated the equipment cost at roughly $8,000 per safe and that each vehicle will need one. The representative also said the department had 27 open shifts in June and that volunteer/paid‑on‑call systems are strained as neighboring towns move toward full‑time staffing with benefits, increasing competition for personnel.
Public works updates included completed ditching (3,500 ft on East Falls Road), planned guardrail repairs on Muddy River Bridge and another 1,000 ft of ditching planned on Lakehouse Road; the manager said the long‑term goal is approximately nine ditching miles per year.
Next steps: staff will complete RFID preparations before July 1 and return with an implementation update. The fire department and town manager will continue to monitor staffing and equipment budget implications; the estimated vault cost will be explored for budget and replacement planning.
