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Trappe council approves ARPA spending for IT, water meters, HVAC and security camera upgrade after water tampering incident
Summary
The Trappe Town Council on Sept. 4 approved using remaining ARPA funds to buy computers, monitors and two firewalls, three 2-inch water meters, and to replace the treatment-plant HVAC; it also approved a $10,495.94 security camera upgrade after a local water-tampering incident and declared a water-tower generator an emergency purchase.
President Schmidt called the Trappe Town Council to order Sept. 4 and the council unanimously approved a package of American Rescue Plan Act expenditures to address information-technology needs, water infrastructure and plant equipment, and an emergency security upgrade.
The council voted to use ARPA funds to buy new computers, monitors and two firewalls as proposed by vendor BDK; to outfit town trucks with requested equipment (excluding window tinting pending legal review from the town attorney); to purchase three 2-inch water meters per L/B Water’s proposal; and to accept Comfort Plus’s proposal to replace the air-conditioning/heating unit at the wastewater treatment plant. Commissioner Jeremy Newnam made the motion; Commissioner Walter Chase seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: The purchases fund basic municipal operations (IT and vehicle equipment) and address water-system reliability and treatment-plant comfort/capacity ahead of larger capital work. The council said these items were discussed in an earlier workshop held the same day.
Security upgrade and water tampering: Commissioner Walter Chase moved, and Commissioner Newnam seconded, to use ARPA funds to accept Safehouse’s proposal to install and upgrade the town’s camera system after what the council described as a local incident of tampering with chlorine levels in the Town’s water. The Safehouse proposal is for $10,495.94 for all locations and the motion carried unanimously.
Emergency generator: The council also found purchase of a new generator for the water tower to be an emergency because the current unit is “inoperable without constant monitoring,” requiring staff to remain on site. The council directed staff to obtain additional proposals and present them at a special meeting scheduled Sept. 11 at 2:00 p.m.
Other procurement notes: The council asked Attorney Lyndsey Ryan to review rules about tinting vehicle windows before that line-item is approved and directed Administrator Erin Braband to obtain a quote from the incumbent snow-removal contractor, PE Moore, for comparison with other procurement options.
What’s next: Staff will gather additional generator proposals for the Sept. 11 special meeting and return vendor quotes (including PE Moore’s snow-removal quote) for review at the October meeting. The council asked Attorney Ryan to draft an ordinance raising the procurement threshold above $10,000 for consideration in October.
