City of Groton Committee of the Whole and Special Mayor & Council - 3/23/26

The City of Groton Committee of the Whole and Special Mayor & Council meeting on March 23, 2026, focused heavily on procurement and budget-related matters. Key procurement discussions included the approval of a turnkey automatic speed enforcement program using cameras provided by Dacratech, which will be violator-funded with no cost to taxpayers. The council also reviewed and approved a $30,000 grant-funded purchase of Imprivata's single sign-on system with multifactor authentication for police cybersecurity needs, awarded as a sole source contract. Groton Utilities presented a $29,000 cloud hosting purchase for their ArcGIS platform with a three-year service contract totaling approximately $80,000, which was moved forward for approval. Additionally, the council approved moving forward with a Smith Lake Upgrade Project involving intake screens and dock replacement, contracting Macknick Brother Construction. The meeting included a detailed presentation from the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resource Recovery Authority (SCARA) on solid waste management, upcoming food waste composting initiatives funded by federal and state grants, and the expected increase in tipping fees through 2030. Groton Utilities also reported on rising wholesale power costs driven by weather and geopolitical factors, resulting in a $2.6 million cost overrun and a planned purchase power adjustment increasing residential bills by about $24 per month starting April 1. Finally, the council discussed a proposed fire marshal fee ordinance to support fire department funding, which was moved forward for first reading. Motions related to these procurements and budget allocations were unanimously approved, reflecting a focus on infrastructure improvements, technology upgrades, and fiscal responsibility.