The Board of Selectmen at its December 19 meeting approved two new items of spending using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds from the Federal government — a $240,000 dump truck for Public Works and $20,000 for safety improvements on the Fairfield Hills Campus.

The dump truck request will replace a 1998 Ford L9500 6-wheel, 8-ton dump/plow truck, which is a vehicle used everyday in the Public Works fleet. Typical uses are in-house drainage jobs, paving, road sweeper, and road grader support.

It is also used as a front-line plow truck in the winter. The 24-year-old truck is the oldest truck in the fleet and suffers from serious frame and body rot, as well as a lack of parts availability, said Tim Whelan of the Public Works Department. The replacement truck would be fitted for heavy duty service and is estimated to serve the town for 15 to 20 years.

“It’s beyond the point where it’s economical to keep,” said Selectman Ed Schierloh.

Selectman Maureen Crick Owen asked if the dump truck would have been in the CIP or paid for with the Capital Non-Recurring Fund, and First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said that if ARP money was not being used for it, it definitely would have been in one or the other.

“It’s 24 years old, it would have gone in the budget,” said Rosenthal.

According to the minutes of the ARP Working Group from December 12, the Fairfield Hills request will address building security by installing fences to continue to make the buildings less accessible to trespassers, and by removing brush around the Kent House, Cochran House and Norwalk Hall that may be used by trespassers to hide. Additionally, the money will be used towards securing open and unlocked windows and doors.

“It is common knowledge that people access the buildings without permission on a regular basis,” states the minutes.

The requests will have to go before the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for final approvals.

The Town began with $7.6 million in ARP funding and, assuming the new spending is approved by the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, and Legislative Council, has so far approved approximately $6.5 million of that. That leaves approximately $1 million in the fund. The town has until 2026 to spend all the funding.

Previously, the town government bodies approved a bike park at Fairfield Hills for $75,000; $20,000 for housing stabilization to the Department of Human Services; $125,000 to Edmond Town Hall for doors and cameras; $215,000 for sidewalks in Sandy Hook; $300,000 for a bucket loader for the Department of Public Works; $100,000 towards tutoring assistance; $20,000 for youth enrichment through the United Way; $90,000 for a senior citizen bus.

Additionally, $1.5 million is allocated for a water distribution center at Fairfield Hills; $190,000 for a roof replacement of the multi-purpose building; $50,000 to replace or repair some underground fire suppression tanks; a $325,000 reimbursement to the town’s self-funded insurance for costs of COVID; and $40,000 for COVID-related supplies.

Also, $200,000 for improvements at the transfer station; $100,000 for improvements at the municipal center; $90,000 for a dump truck for the Parks & Recreation Department; $150,000 for a refurbishment of the Dickinson Park pavilion; $75,000 for outside storage at the community center; $155,000 for a patio at the community center; and $16,000 for lift assist handicap-accessible doors at the senior center.

In addition, $15,000 in grants was approved for each of four town volunteer fire companies, Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR), and Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps (NVAC). Newtown Hook & Ladder is getting an allocation of $15,000 in ARP funds from the Borough of Newtown.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said the focus has been on using the money for things that the town was already planning on spending money on, “rather than open up the floodgates for things we never would have considered.”

“While we can’t use the money to reduce taxes, we can help the taxpayers by using the money on things we were going to do anyway,” said Rosenthal.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.