Committee tasks new member to pursue emergency communications upgrades

Atkinson’s Capital Improvement Program Committee discussed emergency communications and interoperability needs at its April 23 meeting and asked member Don Doughty to take responsibility for advancing that work. The committee noted a prior emergency communications committee was disbanded in 2024 and that outstanding issues include repeater infrastructure, compatibility between analog and digital systems, and the need for a bridge between systems.

Don Doughty was asked to coordinate with the Town Administrator and to take the assignment forward; the transcript shows the committee expects coordination across departments and with town administration but does not record a specific timeline or funding commitment. Committee members said resolving interoperability will likely require cross-department coordination and potentially outside expertise.

The group also discussed funding options more broadly—capital reserves, grants, matching funds and bonds—and emphasized that a documented master plan and capital improvement plan will strengthen grant applications. No grant applications or specific funding amounts were recorded in the transcript.