Council approves $86,500 pole camera grant despite opposition
Laconia City Council approved a $86,500 Homeland Security grant for pole cameras despite resident concerns about surveillance and data privacy. The 5-1 vote, with Councilor Hoffman opposing, funds solar-powered cameras for Laconia Police Department high-crime monitoring and emergency response. A
City Council · Meeting of September 14, 2026
NH LACONIA — Laconia City Council approved a $86,500 Homeland Security grant for pole cameras despite resident concerns about surveillance and data privacy. The 5-1 vote, with Councilor Hoffman opposing, funds solar-powered cameras for Laconia Police Department high-crime monitoring and emergency response. A two-hour public hearing drew more than two dozen residents; supporters cited existing installations on the WOW Trail and public safety needs, while opponents raised privacy and data collection concerns.
The council also unanimously approved a $10,000 Rotary Club donation for Rotary Park irrigation, $112,000 for boiler replacement at the Huot Facility, and emergency-lane designations for Prescott and Paugus Avenues. Two public hearings scheduled for September 28 will address a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite and fire department equipment replacement.
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Source: the City Council meeting of September 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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