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Date: 9/21/2022
HAMPDEN – Hampden’s emergency services have received more than $1.3 million total in grant funding.
Hampden Fire Department (HFD) Chief Edward Poulin announced to the Board of Selectmen on Sept. 19 that the department had been awarded a $230,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replace an existing 1953 M37 forestry brush truck. The town will need to pay just under $11,000 toward the cost of the vehicle and FEMA will cover the rest. The old truck will need to be sold under the terms of the grant, allowing the town to recoup some of its expenses.
Poulin said the sale was “bittersweet” because the truck was custom built by the Hampden Fire Department, and he has memories of being in the truck when his father, a firefighter at the time, was working on it. The department had applied for the grant in three consecutive years but was denied in 2020 and 2021.
Emergency Dispatch Director Anthony Gentile shared that his department had had its own success in terms of grant funding. Dispatch received $429,100 as part of a five-year regionalization grant. A portion of that grant, $125,000, pays for Hampden’s municipal assessment for services.
Other grants awarded to the department include more than $413,000 for employee overtime and salaries, $30,000 to provide 32 hours of training to firefighters and $7,000 for emergency call quality assessment. There is also more than $224,000 to change a console in Hampden to Motorola so that it can communicate with the rest of the system. Gentile explained that in the case of a hurricane or other natural disaster, the console could help with emergency calls.
Early voting
The board approved a proposal by Town Clerk Eva Wiseman to cut back on early voting hours available ahead of the Nov. 8 general election. As Wiseman was unable to attend the meeting, the proposal was presented by Election Warden Kathi Rochford, Election Clerk Tina Doran and Deputy Election Clerk John Plaster.
The hours would be Oct. 22 and 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Oct, 25 and. 27, and Nov. 1 and 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This scheduled provides 16 hours per week for two consequtive weeks of which registered voters can avail themselves.
“Even if we cut back hours to the proposed schedule, we’re still above requirements,” Doran said.
Flynn said, “I’m inclined to keep it as is. It’s important that nobody is disenfranchised.”
Rochford reported that, of the 500 early ballots cast in the last election, 265 of them were mail-in and 235 were done by early voting. “I think early voting is going to take off in the future,” she opined.
Board of Selectmen member Donald Davenport noted that in the last election season, the state did not allow towns to cut back early voting hours.
The vote was 2-1 to curtail the early voting hours, with Flynn dissenting.
On a related topic, Doran suggested sending out a robocall to let residents know that early voting is happening. Flynn said, “I think that’s a great idea.” Davenport and Board of Selectmen member Craig Rivest agreed.
Audit results
Town Accountant Cliff Bombard introduced Jeffrey Gendron of Scanlon & Associates, the municipal accounting firm that conducted Hampden’s fiscal year 2021 (FY21) audit. Gendron said the town’s reserve accounts were in good shape, with $1.1 million in free cash and $1.2 million in the stabilization account. This accounted for 16 percent of the town’s operational budget. Anything over 10 percent is considered desirable by crediting agencies.
Gendron said another factor in the town’s financial standing is how it used its reserve funds from the previous fiscal year, FY2020. Of Hampden’s $400,000 in free cash that year, $100,000 was spent on capital projects. One-time uses, rather than recurring operational costs, are considered an appropriate use of reserve funds. Overall, he said, the town’s financial standing was positive.
“The town has been well managed by our financial team,” Flynn said, noting Bombard has been the town accountant for nearly 50 years. Flynn also cited grants procured by Town Administrator Bob Markel and town departments as a reason, “our debt is minimal.”
Other topics
Poulin introduced Charles Beaver, who had previously worked with the HFD before moving away from the town several years ago. The chief asked for approval to name Beaver a probationary firefighter whose primary duty would be as the photographer for the department, taking pictures during training and operations. Beaver would also serve as a backup driver. The board approved the appointment.
Gentile informed the board that residents using Wi-Fi calling must list their address when registering for the service and keep that address up to date. He explained that when a Wi-Fi calling user dials 911, the call is routed to the dispatch center nearest to the listed address. If there is no address attached to the number, the call cannot be routed and will not go through.
Markel said that the state has awarded the town a grant to cover electronic speed signs at four pre-determined locations. “They’re concerned about people speeding on rural roads and going off the road,” Markel explained.