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Selectmen approve multiple FY26 transfers to cover phone service, vehicle tires, payouts and staffing
Summary
The Board of Selectmen approved a series of fiscal year 2026 transfers totaling several hundred thousand dollars to cover telephone and equipment bills, vehicle repairs, employee payouts and additional police and fire staffing; a $222,810 contract to repair the police-station entrance was also awarded.
The Board of Selectmen voted to approve a series of fiscal-year-2026 budget adjustments on routine and time-sensitive items, including transfers to Emergency Management, Senior Services, Police and Fire Services and the award of a public-works contract to repair the police-station entrance and parking area.
The board approved a $6,500 in-series transfer requested by Director of Emergency Management Steven Sinagra to cover telephone costs through the end of the fiscal year. Sinagra said phone bills have risen annually and the FY27 budget has been adjusted to reflect higher ongoing costs. “They have increased annually and we were looking backwards when we were projecting what we were going to be paying going forward,” Sinagra said.
Human Services Administrator Danny Gorman won approval for two senior-services transfers: $1,100 to purchase new tires for two senior vans and a separate $1,000 out-of-series transfer to cover required DMV inspection repairs. Gorman said core ADA and certification needs are being met, but added that some optional trainings and additional program supports have had to be scaled back because of staffing and line-item constraints.
The board approved a $106,632 appropriation to pay out accrued time for a former police chief as requested by Chief of Police David Furlong, and two smaller police transfers (each $3,000) to cover repair and equipment needs. Furlong also requested a $10,000 in-series transfer for telephone charges tied to recent vendor and equipment changes.
Fire Services Director Christopher Haley received approval for several transfers to accelerate staffing at Quaker Hill (moving Monday–Friday coverage up by about two and a half months) and to cover storm-related overtime and other staffing needs. Haley said a recent blizzard and a series of winter storms contributed materially to overtime outlays and that he has repurposed savings to bring coverage online earlier than planned.
The board also awarded a $222,810 contract to Mid Con Construction LLC to replace deteriorated brick, install ADA-compliant concrete ramps and curbing, resurface the front parking area of the police station and replace low bollard lighting. Public Works Director Gary Schneider said seven bids were received and the low bidder came in under the engineer’s estimate; the contractor will have 90 days to complete the work after contract signing.
Routine administrative business included approval of a $1,694.04 tax refund and acceptance of the board’s April 7, 2026 meeting minutes. A Sandy Hollow Road property item was deferred because materials were not ready. The board closed the meeting after announcing a small first-responder recognition set for Friday afternoon.
The votes on transfers and the contract were taken by voice; specific roll-call tallies were not recorded in the meeting transcript. The board advanced the transfers and contract to the Board of Finance where required for final budget action.
