Marlborough council approves $11.7 million ARPA plan, overrides fire station vetoes

MARLBOROUGH — May 23, 2022 — Marlborough council approves $11.7 million ARPA plan and overrides Lock Drive fire station vetoes. The City Council on May 23 backed the mayor's revised Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund allocation of $11,701,500 by an 8-2 vote, covering the Sligo water tank, water main replacements, a fire truck, and recreation projects at Lake Williams, a dog park, deck hockey rink, City Hall parking garage and a city vehicle. An amendment by Councilor Perlman to approve only the $7,393,500 in water, sewer and fire truck items and send roughly $4.3 million back to Finance failed 2-8; Perlman cited Treasury guidance that ARPA should "fight the pandemic and support families and businesses." Councilors voted 10-0 to override Mayor Arthur Vigeant's vetoes of the $5,092,666.66 transfer and purchase order for 100 Lock Drive, after a clarifying vote stating "there is only one transfer." The council also adopted a $180,503,099 FY23 operating budget, 10-0.