Lanesborough ARPA Committee Approves Funds for Police Station Sitework
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The American Rescue Plan Act Committee has approved $15,000 for geotechnical and other sitework for the combined police and ambulance building project.
Police Station Committee Chair Kristen Tool asked the Select Board for the money on Monday, which the board granted pending ARPA Committee approval. The group unanimously approved the allocation.
"She met with [Town Administrator Joshua Lang] on the subject. Josh suggested ARPA money, because there is not any money set aside for that," said Police Chief Robert Derksen.
The committee also approved and additional $4,000 for technology improvements for the town, $1,800 for new town hall building keys and a little over $800 for defibrillator pads.
After these appropriations, the ARPA budget has about $65,000 left over. Lang said the town received all of its allocated ARPA money.
Lang said he would also like some remaining money to be set aside for work on a town master plan. He requested $25,000 from the committee, which he said should cover about half of it.
"I think it's one of the most important things any community can can do. I've seen these types of plans help bring in new grants, new funding," he said. "As well as ensuring that, instead of working in silos a lot of times as we often see, it allows us to be unified in our planning going forward."
The committee was generally receptive to the idea. Select Board Chair Charlie Durfee said the committee would discuss the appropriation at its next meeting.
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