In a rare Tuesday afternoon meeting, Rochester’s Select Board spent a lot of money on the town’s Police and Fire departments, all of it from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The board began the meeting by approving and signing a $179,520 contract with Industrial Protective Services, LLC, to obtain 33 new sets of Fire Department turn-out equipment.
The panel then approved a variety of similar ARPA-funding requests from the Police Department, totaling over $227,000. It endorsed spending: $4,575 for new badges, $71,000 for the design and construction of a second floor for the Dexter Lane Police Station, $147,545.90 for two new police cruisers, $3,034 for first-aid kits to outfit those vehicles and $14,030 for 10 new Hewlett-Packard desktop computers.
Newly appointed Police Chief Michael A. Assad Jr. said that the station’s existing computers are all at least 10 years old.
The Select Board paused only on the motion to fund the new cruisers when board member Adam Murphy noted $157,000 was the original figure that he had been given for the expense. Assad explained he has replaced the original request with one for two Chevrolets, a Taho and a Silverado, totaling $10,000 less.
At the end of these votes, Select Board Chairman Brad Morse asked Assad, who was sworn in as police chief less than a month ago (August 20), if he felt like it was Christmas for him.
Assad smiled, and board member Adam Murphy said half-jokingly, “Don’t get used to it.” Assad nodded in agreement and said he was just taking care of some immediate priorities.
The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board will be held on Monday, September 23, at 6:00 pm at the Council on Aging Senior Center, 67 Dexter Lane.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco