Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
By Terry Duffy
Editor-in-Chief
Two police-related matters were among a host of items Lewiston Town Board members discussed Monday, despite Supervisor Steve Broderick being absent on vacation.
•Lewiston Police Chief Frank Previte updated the board on the new police app he is pursuing for the department. He said he was able to lower the cost for the app following receiving three verbal bids, unveiling a new quote of $2,449 from POLICEAPP.COM, the first provider discussed at the board’s March 25 session.
“It’s the same company I presented last time,” Previte said. He told board members he was seeking approval to purchase the app using H-97 funds covering public safety.
Previte said the cost would be for development and support for the new app on a year-to year basis by POLICEAPP.COM.
Soon after, board members lent their support for Previte to utilize H-97 funding for the service.
•Councilman John Jacoby discussed a new cell tower unit under consideration for the town highway garage property out on Swann and Harold roads. Jacoby said the tower was intended to better serve the communication needs for area first responders, including police and fire, who often encounter dead zones in areas below the hill.
“There are several areas that are dead for the radios,” Jacoby said, telling the board it’s imperative for police and fire to have adequate coverage throughout the county.
Jacoby advised the board that Seaman-Norris, which provides legal counsel for the town, would recuse itself in the cell tower matter due to a conflict. The town will utilize alternative town attorney Ned Perlman of Magavern, Magavern and Grim LLP to handle the matter.
“It’s moving forward,” Jacoby said. He told the board the next step would be an environmental committee review, followed by the tower committee and the town Planning Board.
Soon after, the board approved the hire for Perlman.