Lanesborough ARPA Fund Committee Approves Tentative Budget
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The American Rescue Plan Act Fund Committee met on Wednesday and approved a tentative budget for the $878,000 the town received.
The board and Town Administrator Joshua Lang went over a budget for the ARPA funds. This preliminary list, among other things, includes $245,000 to replace the culvert on Summer Street, $185,000 for police radios and $100,000 for ambulance costs.
Lang reiterated that, even with approval, things with the ARPA funds budget could easily change based on town needs.
"This is a budget in the sense of it's subject to change," Lang said. "These are just general things that we want to get in front of the selectmen and say, 'These are some of the areas we have identified and want you to approve it, but subject to change. And we might come back and look at some new priorities as they come about.'"
Several budget items are focused on upgrading town equipment, including $20,000 for technology improvements, $50,000 for a broadband feasibility study and $23,000 for Town Hall meeting equipment. The tentative budget also has an item for software-based records management, for which a price has yet to be determined.
Lang said upgrades to the town's aging technology should make many processes easier.
"Most of our computers are over five years old. Our servers need updating," he said.
Police Chief Robert Derksen suggested ARPA funds could go toward the temporary police station site, which he explained would cost about $65,000 total for a two-year lease. Derksen said getting the money through the ARPA funds would make the process quicker.
"It really is a matter of safety. And the only benefit of the ARPA funds is we could do this like almost immediately," he said.
The board debated whether free cash could be used instead for the lease but decided to include it in the ARPA budget.
"Nothing that I've brought here is a dire emergency. So, I think my vote would be to go ahead and move forward with the [$65,000 for the temporary station] and secure the building. Because I do think it's a good opportunity, and I'd hate to see that opportunity be lost," Fire Chief Jeffrey Dechaine said.
Dechaine listed several things the fire department could use ARPA funds to pay for, such as a new ATV, a trailer and a new forest fire truck. These items, he said, totaled to about $45,000.
"Those are the two things that really, I think, would benefit the best," he said. "They have to be dealt with sooner or later."
Department of Public Works Director William Decelles said the $245,000 should mostly pay for the culvert replacement, but additional funding will need to come from other town sources.
Tags: ARPA,
