Select Board allocates remaining ARPA funds as deadline approaches

The Select Board allocated $1,390,000 in revenue replacement funds to four projects, including school building improvements, a Town Hall upgrade and water main replacements.

The Select Board previously allocated revenue replacement funds to a recreation center, but it was determined that the proposal process for the center was handled incorrectly, so the money is once again available for town projects, said Interim Co- Town Administrator Gary Carreiro.

The town also has an additional $201,900 left in ARPA funds, which must be allocated by Dec. 31 of this year and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. If this isn’t done, the town will lose the funds.

“I don’t think it’s prudent to leave $1.1 million or $1.3 million on the table when we have needs of the town that we have to address,” Carreiro said.

A portion of the remaining funds will go to upgrades in various schools, with $200,000 allocated to improve intercom systems and $230,000 allocated to upgrade the sound system in the high school auditorium.

Another $810,000 was allocated for water main replacement from Faunce Corner Road to Hathaway Road.

A total of $150,000 was also allocated for Town Hall copier replacements, which were installed in 2017.

“This will take up the majority of the money,” Carreiro said, referring to the four projects. “And then we can put the revenue replacement to bed.”

Once the proposal process for the recreation center is completed correctly, the funding request will be taken to capital rather than revenue replacement, Carreiro also said.