In a single vote Tuesday night, Benicia City Council amended its Mills Act program and bought its police force a new set of Tasers.

Those and other items were on the Council’s consent calendar, which is comprised of matters that can be decided without comment and by one motion of approval.

The Mills Act is a program by which owners of historic buildings can contract with Benicia to lower their property taxes in exchange for performing specific assignments and subsequent maintenance to keep those structures in historically appropriate condition.

Previously, the Council had decided to limit the number of Mills Act contracts based on losses the city would experience through the reduced property tax revenues and in staff time associated with managing the program.

In previous years, the loss ceiling was set at $30,000, but in recent years that was increased to $35,000.

That ceiling could be breached periodically with the addition of the 37th Mills Act contract, approved Nov. 8, 2014.

The Historic Preservation Review Commission and, later, the Council heard city employees’ reports that variations in property tax revenue assessments were making the ceiling of $35,000 — or any other dollar amount — a limitation that would be difficult to observe.

Among the multiple alternatives offered, the Council asked staff to write a resolution that would limit the number of contracts to 40.

That resolution, which also postponed this year’s application deadline to Sept. 30, was approved in the consent calendar vote.

In other business, Benicia police Chief Erik Upson, who earlier Tuesday was sworn in and received his Benicia badge, also received authorization to buy 28 Taser X2s for his officers, as well as new holsters and cameras as accessories to the nonlethal weapons.

The department’s current model Tasers are X26s, and they are so outdated that replacement parts can’t be bought when the instruments need repairs.

However, officers won’t need extensive training on the new models, Upson told the Council, because they operate in a manner similar to the ones currently in use.

However, the new models have better ergonomic designs, weatherproofing, data collection, reliability and durability, he said.

The anticipated cost, $52,498.40, is less than what the city budgeted for the purchase, $59,460. The balance of $2,938.52 would be left in the Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Supplemental Safety Equipment fund, Upson said.

In the same vote as the other two items, the Council agreed with a request from Parks and Community Services Director Michael Dotson to spend $198,711.08 in Measure C, voter-approved sales tax funds for playground equipment for Benicia Community Park.

The new structure would replace equipment installed in 1994, when the park was built. When it’s installed the surrounding sand will be replaced with engineered fiber.

The cost to remove the old equipment is included in the price, Dotson said.

The Council also approved the quarterly Budget to Actual Report for All Funds that ended March 31.