Selectmen Recommend Purchase of Police SUV

The East Granby Board of Selectmen at a special meeting on Wednesday recommended in a 2-0 vote to budget $32,000 for the purchase of a new police SUV.

After reviewing three estimates obtained by the town, First Selectman Jim Hayden and Selectman Tom Short recommended to the Board of Finance the purchase of a fully equipped Ford Explorer from MHQ.

MHQ’s estimate was for $30,915; the selectmen recommended a slightly higher appropriation for contingency purposes. Any money that is not spent on the SUV will be returned to the town.

If the finance board approves the recommendation, members of the public will have the opportunity to vote on the appropriation at a town meeting.

A police vehicle that is currently in service will be sold, though Hayden said that the town would be lucky to receive $1,500 in that sale.

In other business, the selectmen also voted in favor of recommending that the finance board budget $16,251 for this year’s MIRMA payment.

Hayden also announced that Phase II of the $11.8 million elementary schools project went out to bid on Sept. 7.

That phase calls for, among other things, the renovation of and addition to the R.D. Seymour Elementary School, as well as improvements to be made at Allgrove Elementary School.

The bidding is scheduled to close on Sept. 29 at 2 p.m., Hayden said.

Hayden said that the town had purchased two defibrillators for a total of $1,400. One defibrillator will be stored at Town Hall, while the other will be placed at the Senior Center, Hayden said.

Defibrillators normally cost $1,100 apiece; a town resident connected with a manufacturer, however, was able to help negotiate a favorable price for two, Hayden said.

“We got a super deal,” Hayden said.

Finally, Hayden said that the the 5-year capital budget would require additional funding from the finance board for fiscal years 2014 and 2015, though the first selectman would not say how much.

Selectman Daniel J. Velcofsky was not in attendance due to personal reasons.