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Select Board discusses police coverage, security cameras and cemetery upkeep
Summary
Board members and residents debated police coverage and sheriff details, reviewed quotes to replace highway facility cameras, and discussed limited cemetery maintenance funding and a volunteer-led cemetery cataloging effort.
Board discussion and public comment at the Barnstead Select Board meeting focused on public safety coverage, security camera replacements at the highway facility, and the town's small-cemetery maintenance efforts.
During public input, a resident questioned whether town police coverage is handled by on-shift officers or on-call personnel and whether that could result in response gaps. "When you call 911 a police officer will show up," one board member said, adding that mutual-aid agreements and county sheriff details supplement local coverage. The exchange included questions about the sustainability of paying roughly $115 per hour for sheriff details and board members noted there are potential officer candidates and that the police budget still had unspent amounts available this year.
Separately, highway staff reviewed informal quotes to replace outdated security cameras at the public works facility; three quotes ranged roughly from $5,000 to $8,000 and the board asked staff to identify which budget line would fund the replacement before making an award.
Residents also raised cemetery maintenance and cataloging: staff and volunteers reported the town has more than 125 small cemeteries, GPS cataloging is underway and the annual cemetery budget line is $3,000; volunteers and trustees will continue targeted maintenance under limited funds.
No binding commitments were made to change police staffing levels; the board asked staff to continue monitoring coverage options and to report back with more details if the committee or staff identify a need for budgetary change.
