School Security Camera Project Moves Forward
WETHERSFIELD - The Town Council has approved the transfer of Board of Education surplus funds that will cover the cost of new security cameras in a number of district schools.

       The Board will move around $196,000 of leftover CIP money-unspent in a slew of other building projects-to match a bid from Sonitrol.

       â€"We’re excited that this is going to be moving forward,” said Superintendent of Schools Mike Emmett. â€"It’ an added measure to keep our kids safe.”

       The Council and Board have been reviewing the proposal from a cost standpoint for months now. The Board had originally projected a cost of around $278,000, but Councilors wanted to see if the project could come in lower.

       â€"I’m glad we took the time to back it up, because it saved us almost $100,000,” said Mayor Paul Montinieri. â€"The end result is that we’ll be able to get the whole project done.”

       The Council and Board had considered doing the project in pieces in order to leave some of the surplus for other initiatives the school district has been looking to pursue, but were advised by Security Director Hal Even to pursue the entire scope of the work in order to reap the full benefit of the savings, Montinieri said.

       â€"The bids came in low enough to do work across the buildings without depleting the CIP,” Emmett said. â€"It’s how you prioritize. Safety is as important at Hamner, as it is Charles Wright, as it as at Silas Deane Middle School.”

       The Board had $50,000 set aside for camera installation at Silas Deane Middle School before it learned of the surpluses and looked to expand the scope of the work.

       The Board saved the most amount of money on the replacement of the Emerson Wllliams gym floor-which, by popular demand, became a top CIP priority during last year’s budget session. The Board spent just under $83,000 of the $150,000 appropriated for it.

       Door replacements at Charles Wright, High Crest, and Emerson Williams Elementary Schools yielded a $55,000 savings, and fire alarms were replaced at Hamner Elementary in 2011, with $54,000 left over.

       The cameras would be wired to the Wethersfield Police Department, which would be able to monitor both the interior and exterior of the school buildings from the station, according to Emmett.

      
MORE WETHERSFIELD NEWS  |  STORY BY MARK DIPAOLA  |  Jul 13 2016  |  COMMENTS?