Palmer Town Council approves $73,000 in police gear, tables retiree health insurance overhaul

PALMER — May 11, 2026 — Palmer Town Council approves $73,000 in police equipment and defers retiree health insurance overhaul to June. The council unanimously approved three free-cash expenditures Monday: $18,000 for 10 additional patrol rifles (Resolution 2026-24), $43,931.98 to replace the department's aging X26P Taser fleet (Resolution 2026-25), and $11,883.54 for VHF antenna replacements at the main police repeater (Resolution 2026-26), drawing from a certified free-cash balance of $5.1 million. Engineers Tony DeCruz and Matt Kirk of Tyton Bond presented findings from a March 2026 study of the Three Rivers sewer junction showing a 35-foot section of the 12-inch siphon barrel with "no bottom to that pipe" and severe rebar loss in the 30-inch south interceptor, with a total repair estimate of roughly $2.9 million. Town Manager Brad told the council the south interceptor "could potentially collapse" and urged an immediate low-cost CCTV inspection of its full length. A proposed overhaul of retiree health insurance cost-sharing — moving future retirees to a 50-50 premium split effective July 1, 2027 — was tabled after a council member said draft language around Medicare Part B enrollment requirements needed tightening before a vote; the item returns June 8, the same night as the budget public hearing, with a budget vote scheduled June 18.