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Connecticut Sends $3M in Funding for Dispatch Center Upgrades

With the last equipment upgrade occurring in 2008 and most of dispatch staff using radio technology from the 80s, Windham Town Manager has entered a $3 million contract with STV Construction for dispatch center upgrades.

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(TNS) — With the approval of the town council, Windham Town Manager Jim Rivers will enter into a contract with a company to oversee the multi- million dollar upgrade of the dispatch center.

The project is being funded using $ 3 million in funding from the state..

During their meeting on Tuesday, council members authorized Rivers to enter into a contract with STV Construction, Inc. by a vote of 10 to 0.

The company will be the " owner's project manager."

" This is a way of ensuring the project moves forward as quickly as possible," Windham Town Council president Dawn Niles said.

STV Inc. provided a lump sum fee of $ 117,607, which is an estimate based on an initial scope of the work. The upgrade doesn't involve any town funding.

STV has offices all over the country, including an office in Hartford.

The second bid, which was from JR Russo in Lebanon, was unavailable by presstime.

The dispatch center responds to calls for the four fire departments in Windham, as well as the Franklin Fire Department. Staff also handle calls for Windham Community Memorial Hospital paramedics, as well as afterhours calls for the public works department, water and sewer department and animal control.

The project is being done to upgrade antiquated equipment.

" It's a gazillion years old," Rivers said.

Dispatch staff are using radio technology from the 80s and 90s and the console and other equipment were last updated in 2008.

The project involves the following: installing new towers; new portable and mobile radios for the Willimantic, North Windham, South Windham, Windham Center and Franklin fire departments; a new radio dispatch console; reimbursing Willimantic Police for upgrades to the state radio system; new work stations and new mobile data terminals. Construction work started this month.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Windham Switchboard Fire Chiefs Association President Lloyd Niles, Dawn Niles' husband, thanked the town council for authorizing Rivers to sign the contract.

He said the association has been trying to get funding for the dispatch project for nine years or so.

" It's a good project,"

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