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Hampton Select Board approves police tech funds, emergency alarm replacement and $15,000 temporary PIO hire
Summary
At its July 13 meeting the Hampton Select Board approved acceptance of private nonprofit funds for police technology, authorized a single-source replacement of the police fire-alarm panel and UPS, and approved up to $15,000 for a temporary public information officer to manage crisis communications; several other routine motions also passed.
HAMPTON, N.H. — The Hampton Select Board on July 13 approved several measures related to public safety and town operations, including acceptance of private nonprofit funding for police technology, a single-source emergency equipment purchase, and a temporary public information hire.
At a public hearing under RSA 31:95-b III(a), Chair Carleigh Beriont opened consideration of unanticipated private funds from Crimeline of the Hamptons and Our Rescue to purchase technology equipment for the Police Department. The hearing concluded with no public comment and the board voted to apply for, accept and expend the funds (motion passed 5-0-0).
Police Chief Reno told the board the equipment will strengthen the department's digital-forensics capabilities and free the town from traveling to Portsmouth or Manchester for certain analyses. Reno said the department was limited in what it could disclose about a July 5 incident because the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has taken over the investigation, and thanked officers and firefighters for the response.
The board also approved replacing the police department's fire-alarm panel and an uninterruptible power supply after Chief Reno described the systems as integrated with dispatch and critical server infrastructure. Reno said the alarm vendor R.B. Allen is a single-source supplier for the proprietary system; Sel. Bliss moved to waive the town purchasing policy under §718-18 and authorize up to $64,500 from the Municipal Building Capital Reserve Fund for the replacements. The motion passed 5-0-0.
Chief Reno recommended the town consider a temporary public information officer (PIO) to manage crisis communications and counter misinformation online. After discussion about a default budget year and limits on reallocating part‑time wages, Sel. Rage moved and the board authorized a not-to-exceed $15,000 expenditure for a temporary PIO (motion passed 4-1-0; Sel. Grip recorded as the dissent).
Other routine votes included approval of the June 22 meeting minutes, adoption of the consent agenda, and acceptance of the Master Plan Implementation Committee report directing staff to review MPIC priorities as part of budgeting and operational planning. The board also directed Dragon Mosquito Control to follow the town's established 'no spray properties' policy and voted 5-0-0 to implement that direction.
Authorities and next steps referenced at the meeting included RSA 31:95-b III(a) for accepting unanticipated funds and town purchasing policy sections (§718-8, §718-16, §718-18) for the single-source procurement waiver. Town staff will pursue the grant acceptance paperwork, execute the approved capital purchases and proceed with hiring or contracting for the temporary PIO.
