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Selectmen award Academy Hall alarm upgrade from ARPA funds, table body‑worn camera purchase
Summary
The board approved a $27,009.90 ARPA-funded contract to upgrade Academy Hall’s fire‑alarm system to NFPA standards and tabled a separate $35,000 body‑worn camera request pending clarification of ARPA match rules and multi‑year subscription costs.
The Board of Selectmen on Oct. 29 authorized use of ARPA funds to upgrade the fire-alarm system at Academy Hall, awarding a $27,009.90 contract to ESP of Manchester after the fire inspector and the applicant recommended the higher-priced quote to meet NFPA standards.
Historical Society representatives explained that three quotes were solicited and that the preferred vendor’s bid included complete rewiring to bring the system up to standard; the board voted to expend ARPA funds to cover the cost. The motion to award the contract carried unanimously.
In a separate ARPA discussion, finance staff and selectmen reviewed a $35,000 body-worn camera proposal brought earlier in October. Staff explained a state 50–50 grant exists for cameras but that the state stipulation requires the local match be raised locally and cannot be satisfied by another grant (including ARPA). Board members also noted annual subscription and video-management fees (about $6,400–$6,500) that would affect future operating budgets.
Given questions about ARPA rules and the town’s obligation for recurring fees, the board voted to table the body-worn camera request until members could obtain legal or ARPA-administration guidance and firmer multi-year cost estimates.
