Since the Town of Rochester switched its municipal 911 system to the Regional Old Colony Communications Center last year with its initial state grant funding of nearly $1.7 million, the town has received an additional transition grant for $17,000 to cover the cost of portable radios for local first responders. It has now received another transition grant for $17,000 for some additional portable radios, but it will likely be the last grant of its kind the town will receive.
On August 19 during the Rochester Board of Selectmen’s meeting, Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar announced the latest grant with a caveat: “We should not expect to receive this award in the future.”
The latest grant was unexpected, Szyndlar said, but obviously welcome. The town still had a need for additional portables.
“It covers some of them, so it’s a great, great option and it improves the communications, which is really the game plan,” Szyndlar said.
In other matters, Szyndlar said the town has contracted a collections agency to handle outstanding unpaid ambulance service bills. According to Szyndlar, the town had no avenue of recourse in place and did not want to adopt methods that would send the unpaid invoices straight to the credit report of the one with the outstanding debt.
In other business, the board will hold a public meeting on the upcoming community electricity aggregation program during its regular meeting on September 16.
In keeping with the Green Communities Act, the board signed an updated fuel-efficient vehicle policy.
The board signed a retirement citation for Sharon Lally who retired from her position as director of the Rochester Council on Aging.
After the open session, the board transitioned into Executive Session to discuss the possible purchase of real property.
The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for September 2 at 6:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry