Current Issues and Thoughts
May 7, 2006

The next selectmen's meeting is tomorrow (Monday, May 8, 5:30pm). The agenda has 46 action items. Looks like a long night. You can see the agenda by clicking on the link to the left.

Here are some highlights, in the order they appear on the agenda:

1. The New Hampshire state wetlands authorities are investigating a complaint about wetlands violations by ATVs at Mile Slip Park. The state has sent an official letter to town as owner of the park. We will discuss what responsibility and liability the town and taxpayers may have, if any, for the wetlands disturbances by ATVs and other off-road vehicles.

2. Vision Appraisal, the consultant helping the town assessing department with the new town-wide revaluation of properties, is coming in to give an update to the selectmen.

3. There is an agenda item "Request for Clarification of Work Performance (Fred Douglas)". No materials are included in the packet to explain this item.

4. We will discuss a draft RFP (request for proposals from outside consultants) for a review and recommendations on town employee compensation. I would have hoped we could encourage some of our local businesses with HR (human resources) departments to help out so we could do this through a citizen committee, instead of having to hire a consultant?

5. There is a memo on the town's obligation to pay $47,000 of severance to the departing town administrator. This is discussed on the blog -- the link is to the left.

6. We will discuss the job description for the new town administrator and the advertising and recruitment process. There is more detail on the blog -- click link to the left.

7. There will be further discussion of how to handle maintenance and custodian functions at the new police station.

8. I am hoping we will adopt the new policy on making emails public when they are used by a quorum of the selectmen or other town boards.

9. We'll talk about the 2006/2007 board of selectmen goals (this has been discussed on the blog), as well as, I think, the department head goals.

Please email me, call me or post on the blog if you have any questions, comments or thoughts.