Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Selectboard says town will pay off cruiser lease early and sell canine cruiser amid staffing shortfalls
Summary
Board members said the town will pay off a three‑year cruiser lease early, sell a K‑9 cruiser to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and repurpose a 2020 Explorer for town use while police hiring remains underwhelming.
A selectboard member told the meeting the town will pay off a three‑year lease early on a police cruiser — roughly $20,000 per year — to avoid letting vehicles sit unused and lose value while patrol hiring remains difficult. "We had a 3 year lease, on our cruiser, $20,000 each year. And we're paying it off, ahead of time," the board member said during the meeting.
The board said the Carroll County Sheriff's Office has expressed interest in buying the current K‑9 cruiser; proceeds will reimburse the town and trust funds as outlined in the budget discussion. The board also plans to keep a 2020 Ford Explorer as a town vehicle for fire and animal control use and to auction a 2017 Explorer formerly used as a cruiser. Members emphasized the town has attracted several applicants for the town administrator role but only limited interest for patrol positions and that choices about staffing levels and hours will be revisited.
Board members said some equipment leases (tasers among them) are being reviewed and that reimbursements from vehicle sales will be processed through trust and general fund accounting, with final allocations to be settled at town meeting if required.
