Published: 10/23/2022 3:40:49 PM
Modified: 10/23/2022 3:40:38 PM
NORTHFIELD — Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the Selectboard has hired a grant development director who is set to start Nov. 20.
Mallory Sullivan, who has most recently worked as Community Development Block Grant administrator in Arlington, was named to the new position, which will be funded using ARPA money for the next three years. The position is full-time, with benefits and a starting salary of $70,000.
“I’m hoping it rolls into something that people really see as valuable,” said Town Administrator Andrea Llamas. “We think Mallory will be a huge success.”
Selectboard Chair Barbara “Bee” Jacque said having someone who will help departments and committees maximize grant opportunities will be “a huge step for Northfield” as the town looks to prioritize economic developments. Likewise, Sullivan told the board she is “excited to build upon the foundation” in Northfield.
When asked about the ties with economic development and recreational history, Sullivan suggested implementing self-guided tours and highlighting the history of different town sites. She said that even though there are already historic assets and landscapes, “it just needs the dots to be connected for people.”
Sullivan also mentioned partnering with regional groups and highlighting outdoor recreation, hiking, breweries and restaurants.
The Selectboard also used last week’s meeting to approve three other ARPA funding use requests.
The first request that was approved was to spend $59,812.59 on repeaters for the town’s police and fire departments. The purpose of the repeaters is to amplify the radio signal in areas where first responders have poor coverage and inside buildings where the signal can’t penetrate.
The Selectboard then approved using $3,475 to upgrade the Police Department’s body camera system and to buy warranties. Llamas said with the current software and storage system, officers can’t save videos by case number; they can only be searched by date. She added that officers can’t download the videos into a file that can easily be sent electronically. Currently, to share a video, officers download the content to a thumb drive.
With the new software system, Llamas said officers will be able to save the videos by case number. The files will also be easy to download.
Lastly, the Selectboard approved $12,278 for the recreation director’s wages. Llamas said the money will be used to supplement the town’s appropriation from May.
According to Llamas, Recreation Director Stacy Bond has put in about 19 weekly hours of work even though the budget for her position was 19 hours a month.
Llamas said Bond has organized rototilling for the Northfield Elementary School baseball field, got baseball dugouts, painted benches and purchased new benches for youth soccer. Additionally, Llamas said Bond has been doing website updates and equipment inventory, overseeing a new recreation logo, and working on projects such as a teen night and securing pool access for residents.
At next May’s Annual Town Meeting, Llamas advised the town will ask residents to vote to increase the wage for recreation directors going forward.
Even with these three approved funding requests, Llamas said the town still has $300,000 in ARPA money that needs to be accounted for by the end of December 2023.