LONDONDERRY — The police department's five-year security contract with Manchester-Boston Regional Airport expires next summer and police Chief William Hart said he has sent a letter of interest to renew the contract.
"The present contract expires on June 30 next year," Hart said. "It was a three-year contract with two one-year extensions."
Manchester's Department of Aviation set a July 21 deadline for letters of interest and Hart said he responded two weeks ago.
"We've had a very positive relationship with the airport," he said. "They have highly professional managers who have established a great relationship with the police department."
The Londonderry Police Department took over security operations July 1, 2006, Prior to that, the Rockingham County Sheriff's Department held the airport security contract for more than 12 years.
The police department has a 68 officers. One captain, five sergeants and 17 patrol officers are stationed at the airport.
Hart said they would address the matter of what would happen to those 23 positions when the time came if Londonderry did not get a new contract.
However, Town Manager Dave Caron said the Town Council made it clear when it accepted the airport contract that if it was not renewed, the officers' positions would be eliminated.
The contract requires the ability to work in a cross-line jurisdictional situation because the airport is situated in Hillsborough and Rockingham counties, and in the city of Manchester and town of Londonderry. Interested parties must also have full powers of arrest and the ability to enter into a five-year contract.
The town receives between $125,000 and $150,000 for the contract each year, according to Caron.
"This is based on the percentages of salaries for the officers paid by the airport to the town," he said.
Caron said if Londonderry does not get the new contract, it could mean a 4- to 5-cent increase on the tax rate.
"In this economy, any amount of money we lose makes a difference," he said.
Tom Malafronte, assistant director of the airport, said reviews of submitted letters of interest will begin as soon as July 26.
"This is a pre-qualifying process," he said.
Those who meet the qualifications will be sent a full package of information necessary for the application process.
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