Belmont Police to buy 2 e-bikes for WOW Trail patrols

BELMONT — The Belmont Police Department’s bike patrols just got a little faster with the approved purchase of two e-bikes, through money from the Drug Forfeiture Fund. The selectboard approved the request at the Feb. 4 meeting.

There will be no impact to taxpayers.

“We’re dealing with a lot of things on the Route 3 side, near the WOW Trail. If we have to go out there, it’s a good 10 to 15 minute walk from the Mill,” said Chief Stephen Akerstrom. “It takes a while. The e-bikes would allow us to go over there and patrol, whether it be the beach or the WOW Trail.”

E-bikes are electric bicycles that reach speeds upward of 30 mph.

The two e-bikes come at a combined cost of $11,581.99. The Drug Forfeiture Fund is exactly what it sounds like: funds obtained through drug seizures.

One e-bike will be stored at the police station for downtown patrols, and the other would be stored at Belknap Marketplace, in coordination with security there, so officers can patrol near the WOW Trail.

Patrol officers using the e-bikes would need to take a week-long safety training course; Capt. Evan Boulanger has taken the course in years past. The bikes come with lights and sirens.

“I don't have an issue with it, as long as we see it out and about,” said board member Travis O’Hara. “Just like the big trucks, [taxpayers] see them out, and see them getting used.”

Board member Claude Patten Jr. made a motion to accept the purchase, and member Sharon Ciampi seconded it. All selectboard members voted in favor of Akerstrom’s proposal.

“I can’t wait to see you all on those,” said Selectboard Chair Ruth Mooney. “Just don’t tip over.”

The chief had another proposal, and asked the selectboard to consider an increase in the hourly rate for private contract details. This includes details for utility construction and public events.

“Its been just about three years since that has increased. Looking at other departments around, everybody’s increasing with everything else going on,” Akerstrom said. “I’m proposing to increase the officer portion of it to $75.”

Currently, the hourly rate for private contract details is $60.

Discussion centered on the related cruiser ($15 per hour) and administrative ($15 per hour) fees, and whether those needed to increase, too.

Mooney suggested increasing the administrative fee by $5, changing it to $20 per hour, to make sure the town wasn’t losing money for officer retirements, which is what the fees cover.

Mooney made a motion, seconded by O’Hara. It passed unanimously.

In other business, Akerstrom told the board he hired two new police officers, one a K9.

Kenneth Faath, of New York, and Nathan Leahy, certified in New Hampshire, will join the local force soon, before heading to training, helping to shrink vacancies in the department.

“Kenneth will be moving into our K9 handler position, after his successful probation,” Boulanger wrote in an email. “We are excited to welcome their experience to the team, both are very community-oriented.”

While there’s no canine yet in Belmont, they already have the funds and proper cruiser to support the endeavor.

“We don’t have the dog, but we have the cruiser all set up to go,” Akerstrom said. “No cost to the taxpayers.”

Mooney said there are funds available to cover the cost of the pooch, too, and Akerstrom agreed, pointing to the replacement fund.

O’Hara made a motion to approve the hiring of the new officers, seconded by Mooney. All members were in favor.

And, the fire department was awarded a grant for a new truck through the Department of Environmental Services’ Granite State Clean Fleet Program. The fate of the truck is in the hands of Belmont voters when they go to the polls on Tuesday, March 10, for Town Meeting.

While the grant covers $500,000 toward the final bill, taxpayers must decide to support the balance of $364,823. The estimated tax impact per $1,000 of property valuation is $0.07.

“We’ve got the funds” from the grant, said Alicia Jipson, town administrator. “We’ll just wait for voting to see if they approve us doing the rest of the financing.”

If taxpayers vote down the article, the department will not receive the truck, and lose the grant funds.

A voters guide is available, following the deliberative session on Jan. 31. The guide goes into extensive detail on all warrant articles and petitioned items up for vote, with explanations and charts.

“The voter’s guide has been printed and there are stacks at Town Hall and the library. It’s also on our website,” Jipson said. “This is the world I live in all year, please send questions my way.”

The selectboard meets again at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Belmont Mill. For more information, visit belmontnh.gov.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.