Special Board of Selectmen Meeting
Minutes
February 4, 2020
Town Hall
7:30 PM
Present: First Selectman Julia Pemberton, Selectman Margaret O’Donnell, Selectman Michael Thompson, Dispatch Supervisor and EMD Stephen Schnell, Chief of Police Mark O’Donnell, Representatives from Northeast Communications (NORCOMM), members of the West Redding Volunteer Fire/EMS Department, members of Redding Ridge Fire and EMS Co. #1, members of the Georgetown Volunteer Fire/EMS Department. Members of the public.
The meeting was called to order at 7:34 pm.
Public Safety communications project: equipment, infrastructure and implementation review
Dispatch supervisor Stephen Schnell, along with the Northeast Communications, presented a progress report on the implementation of the public safety communications project. The discussion centered on the backbone of the system, tower/antenna locations and transmit/receive sites.
Coverage maps were reviewed based on the use of the State (DPS) communications tower on Old Redding Road. The tower is owned by the American Tower Company. The design of the system includes placement of a 22 foot antenna on the tower. With the antenna in that location on the DPS tower, coverage inside a light wood frame residential structure with a portable radio is near 100% with a very few areas of spotty coverage.
Coverage maps were then reviewed without the antenna on the DPS tower Old Redding Road tower. In that scenario there are significant gaps in coverage along the Rt. 7 corridor. That is problematic due to the high frequency of Fire/EMS calls in that area.
Discussion and Possible Action Lease proposal from American Tower Company for Town of Redding antenna placement for public safety communications project
The Selectmen reviewed the proposal for a ten-year lease with American Tower for placement of the antenna on the Old Redding Road DPS tower. The month rent would be $1940. This cost would be carried in the Selectmen’s operating budget for the town. The Selectmen took no action on the American tower proposal pending an expedited review of other suitable antenna placements. This is being done with the understanding that any alternate locations would have to provide substantially equivalent coverage as the Old Redding Road location.
Construction services for Station Road Bridge
Motion:
The Board of Selectmen of the Town of Redding accepts a bid from Dayton Construction in the amount of $409,105 for the rehabilitation of the Station Road Bridge over the Saugatuck River in Redding, Connecticut. The rehabilitation of the bridge, the cost of which is $409,105, will be funded through Redding’s LOCIP grant from the State of Connecticut.
Motion: O’Donnell, Thompson. Approved. Unanimous
FY 20-21 Selectmen’s budget
The Selectmen reviewed the budget proposal from the January budget workshop. Discussion included a financial implications and organizational framework for the proposed Facilities Director position.
The Selectmen discussed the need to look for efficiencies and voiced concerns about the impact of budget increases on residents. The full budget proposal is presently 1.72%. 50% of the increase is in salaries and contractual obligations.
Budget review will continue at the next meeting of the Selectmen on February 18th at 7:30 pm
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 pm
Submitted by:
Julia Pemberton