Gilford Selectboard to vote on police, fire technology upgrades

GILFORD — The town Police and Fire departments are hoping for technology upgrades next year, if approved by the selectboard, which meets Wednesday night.

The selectboard will vote this week on communication equipment upgrades for police, as well as purchasing portable radios for the fire department.

At the meeting, the proposed Town Meeting warrant will also be discussed.

Town Administrator Scott Dunn said the proposed Town Meeting warrant, in its fifth draft, will be reviewed by the selectboard again, and he expects the members to remove one article pertaining to police communications. He said the police department has found money in the budget to make these updates this year, and in a separate agenda item of new business about police communications, the board will vote to take on these improvements in the current budget, rather than next year.

Other warrant articles include one petitioned so far, Dunn said, but otherwise he expects no further action on the warrant at the meeting.

The deadline to post the warrant is the fourth Monday in January, which falls on Jan. 24. Dunn expects there to be a budget committee public hearing on Thursday, Jan. 15, and the selectboard will likely finalize the warrant at a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Dunn said portable radios for the fire department are needed, and the elected board of fire engineers recently held a meeting and reviewed staff recommendations. The board gave their recommendation to move forward, and because the radio purchase will amount to more than $10,000, it needs selectboard approval.

After receiving an assessing agent update from Angie Silva, and a police department update from Chief Kris Kelley, the board will hear from Public Works Director Meghan Theriault about how the new building project is moving along.

The selectboard will also receive an update on the ice rink revamp. The town has been awaiting the arrival of the sideboards for the rink on Varney Point Road. Dunn said Tuesday the boards are expected to arrive next week.

There will also be a deadline extension request pertaining to cutting trees down on town property, followed by discussion on the warrant articles and proposed budget.

The selectboard will also hear a request to use the Technology Capital Reserve Fund for the Town Hall conference room audio and visual equipment upgrades. They will then discuss upgrades to the police department communications equipment before deciding on the ratification of American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Union Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The board is also expected to accept a resignation from the Historical District and Heritage Commission, as well as discuss proposed personnel policy amendments. Town decal alternatives for senior citizen residents is on the agenda, as well.

The selectboard meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the Town Hall in the first floor conference room.