Norwalk board authorizes $361,000 sole‑source purchase for police rescue vehicle

The Board of Estimate and Taxation on April 6 approved a sole‑source purchase order authorizing Mayor Barbara C. Smith to acquire one police rescue vehicle for a total not to exceed $361,000.

Tom, speaking for staff, read the authorization into the record and said the line item and account number had been corrected since the item first appeared in backup materials. He said the purchase and a related transfer will move forward now that an account number has been assigned.

The transfer will move $361,000 from the communications upgrade (dispatch) project account to the Police Department to fund the vehicle. Staff noted approvals for the transfer must also be obtained from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Finance and Claims Committee and the City Council as part of a four‑step process.

Board members approved the revision and the appropriation by voice vote.

The item was presented as a technical correction to earlier materials; staff said Chief Walsh, who appeared in an earlier executive session on a related matter, was not present and that the corrected account information and a comma typo (361,000) had been fixed prior to the vote.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the procurement and the sequential approval steps identified in the motion.