PERU — Selectmen on Wednesday voted to authorize the town attorney to write a letter to Road Commissioner Lee Merrill’s attorney that selectmen will pursue buying security cameras with money from the road operations budget.

Chairwoman Carol Roach shared a letter from Merrill’s attorney, which threatened legal action against the board if they used the money to purchase security cameras to monitor the sand box at 85 Peru Center Road.

Research of town records showed it is within the board’s authority to use the money, she said.

The board will ask town attorney Amanda Meader to write the letter.

Merrill, who did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, had previously announced he would shut down access to the sand box as of Feb. 1 because people were violating the rules on who and how much could be taken, and for what purpose.

Selectmen overruled him, saying he did not have authority to make that decision. They also decided to purchase more sand and security cameras to monitor who is using the sand.

Also Wednesday, selectmen voted 4-1 to buy the cameras with road operations funds, with Selectman Larry Snowman voting against it.

Snowman said Merrill has done well in his position, and that in the past, boards have not taken action to charge items to department heads’ budgets, and it’s not appropriate to start now.

“At this point, I don’t know if (Merrill) will pursue legal action or not,” Roach said.

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