New Canaan’s highest elected official on Tuesday called for more details of an ongoing initiative launched by the prior administration to bolster security in town.
First Selectman Dionna Carlson joined fellow members of the Board of Selectmen during their regular meeting in approving a $15,000 contract with Darien Electric to do the electrical work needed to install security cameras at undisclosed locations throughout town.
Carlson also asked how many more cameras need to go up.
“How much more do we have to do?” she said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.
“Who’s making the decision on where we’re putting the cameras?” Carlson said.
She added that she’d like to schedule an executive session to discuss the matter in detail—out of the public eye, for security reasons.
“I’m happy today to do this approval, but I would like to understand where we are and where we’re potentially going and the possible costs associated,” Carlson said, adding: “We may want to make modifications to the plan.”
After a delay, New Canaan Police two years ago requested $200,000 to improve security in local parks and the downtown. Since then, the funds have been drawn down periodically for projects that include an installation of light posts with security cameras at Irwin Park. The request followed a run of car thefts and break-ins, as well as larcenies from local stores.
This week, Joe Zagarenski, senior engineer in the Department of Public Works, requested approval of the $15,000 contract with Darien Electric “as part of the ongoing security and camera initiative.”
“Darien Electric has been providing manpower and materials as required for the installation of these cameras,” Zagarenski said. “They work directly with the Department of Public Works and the IT Department to provide the power and the connectivity as required for any particular location. We’ve been working on the low-lying fruit, the most cost-effective locations that have been requested throughout town. That’s what we’ve been doing for the last couple of years. Darien Electric is familiar with the electrical and low-voltage cabling at these locations and therefore they’re the most cost-effective contractor to perform the work on a time and material basis. The cameras are purchased separately by the town. We don’t buy the cameras through them. There’s no need to pay the markup.”
Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the contract.
In response to Carlson’s question about how much more work still needs to be done, Zagarenski said, “As much as the town wants to do, or as little as the town wants to do.”
Murphy Carroll said that she and Karl likely were in attendance at past executive sessions when the public safety plan’s specifics were spelled out, “but I think probably we’ll have to come up to speed and … review it.”