MARLBOROUGH – The city is seeking nearly $5 million to upgrade its public safety communications systems.
Mayor Arthur Vigeant is requesting a bond of $4.925 million to fund an 18-month project to upgrade software for the computer-aided dispatch/records management and data cabling to support the installation of a new digital phone system for all fire stations.
“These vital upgrades will improve weak signals in historic spots around the city that are vital to the city’s public safety and supporting mutual aid calls,” Vigeant told the City Council in a letter dated July 20.
Vigeant said that last year the state promised funding, but it has not come through.
The City Council has referred the request to its Finance Committee.
Grants from the state
The city’s Public Safety Dispatching Center is in line to receive several grants from the Executive Office of Public Safety and the State 911 Department.
This includes $199,964 to be used to offset personnel overtime costs in the Public Safety Dispatching Center; $37,864.18 for equipment, quality assurance reviews of dispatch personnel and an offset of overtime costs and $36,187.36 to be used to offset personnel training costs in the Public Safety Dispatching Center.
During its meeting on July 24, the City Council voted to approve the grants.
