SEYMOUR – The town plans to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to purchase some “necessities” geared toward improving, health and safety and technology, too.
The Seymour Board of Selectmen at its meeting Tuesday (May 17) unanimously approved nearly $120,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for various town-wide purchases.
The item were scheduled to head to the Seymour Board of Finance, which met at 7 p.m. May 24 at Town Hall.
The town received a total of $4.8 million in ARPA funds, according to First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis. The federal stimulus funds were distributed to municipalities negatively impacted by the pandemic, and can be used, in part, for public and health safety purposes, as well as investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure. Drugonis said municipalities have until 2026 to allocate the ARPA funds.
The selectmen approved the following purchases:
*Small Business Recovery Fund $50,000
*French Park retaining wall $25,000
* Firehouse records management system $16,972
*Meeting recording system $4,247.29
*Great Hill Hose Fire Co. sewage pump $13,685
*Public Works Department mower and motor $9,356.80
Drugonis said various town department heads made the requests for the items, which she called necessities. The town also held a series of public forums, asking residents for input on how to spend the ARPA money. Drugonis said the forums drew very sparse attendance, despite her repeatedly posting information about them on various social media platforms. Just a handful of residents showed up, with some asking to use the money to improve town roads. Drugonis said the town already uses state Local Capital Improvement Program (LOCIP) money for that.
Regarding the items the selectmen approved, Drugonis said they all have merit.
The existing retaining wall, for example, at French Park near the giant flagpole and nearby parking lot is deteriorating, Drugonis said. And with the annual Seymour Pumpkin Festival staged there, as well as local sports teams and the public regularly using the facility, the wall needs to be fixed in the name of safety.
“It’s at the point where it’s not safe,” Drugonis said. Bids were sought and ultimately awarded to Earthworks.
A new sewage pump is needed, Drugonis said, in order to prevent a possible sewage back-up inside the Great Hill Hose firehouse. She said the current pump is antiquated, “it’s grinding and those of us that have a septic system know that’s not a very good noise.” Great Hill, unlike the town’s other firehouse, Citizens Engine Co., relies on a septic system.
As for boosting technology, Drugonis said the current meeting recording system set up in the Norma Drummer room at Town Hall is very old and basically “stinks.”
“I can’t even tell you how old the equipment is, but if you go to watch us on YouTube, you can’t always hear our voices, the video is blurry and if down the road, we have to go back to remote meetings again to live stream, we have to upgrade our system,” Drugonis said.
Regarding the recovery fund for small businesses, Drugonis said town businesses in need, due to emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances, like the recent fire that destroyed four downtown businesses, can apply for up to $5,000 in interest-free (for the first three years) loans. If for example a business cannot make rent, due to an unforeseen event, they can apply to the town for help, and in turn, would be required to pay the town back when they’re back on their feet, Drugonis said.
Small businesses can also apply for a loan for general purposes, like if they need a new awning outside their storefront, according to Economic Development Consultant Shelia O’Malley. The situation always doesn’t have to warrant an emergency and the need will be determined at the discretion of the selectmen on whether to approve the loan or not.
Drugonis said all ARPA funded and approved projects in town will be recorded on an Excel spreadsheet to help the town keep track of what they spent, and what remains in the ARPA balance. She said the town must keep detailed paperwork, including bids, checks that are cut, how the money was used, etc., to show how the federal funds is being spent and that it meets the criteria.
Prior to the selectmen approving these latest ARPA-funded projects, Drugonis said the selectmen approved “a major security upgrade” in its computer software, necessary to prevent cyber attacks on town-wide computer systems.
