BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2006

CORDAVILLE HALL

Present:  Roger Challen, Chairman; Bill Boland, Bonnie Phaneuf, Jean Kitchen, Town Administrator, Jeffrey Nutting [consultant].

At 6 p.m., the Board opened the meeting and engaged in a discussion of goals and objectives with Jeff Nutting, a consultant advising the board.

The Board addressed the following initiatives.

Role of the Board of Selectmen is to hire a Town Administrator, Police and Fire Chief, set policy and strategic direction and resolve problems that cannot be handled at a lower level.

Meeting operations

• Policy on public hearings                                                                                         GOAL
• TA – make list of things TA/Staff should do to keep them off the agendas
• Get info out earlier for upcoming meetings  – chair/TA, figure out game plan

Minutes – have minutes sent to the BOS as soon as they are drafted so corrections can be made before the packet is assembled, this will reduce the time spent discussing any changes to the minutes during the board’s meetings. 

Consent Agenda – this format has helped save time with one motion instead of separate discussions on all items listed.  Board members can always pull an item off the consent agenda for further discussion.

Feedback to Chair on meeting operations – 60 days                                                          GOAL

Union Negotiations   GOAL

Clerical Union:  can   reviews be handled through the Town Administrator or her designee?  Why is SEIU the only union contract that requires the BOS to approve merit increases?  

Hiring :  review contracts.  Who has legal authority over hiring practices and appointments.                                                                                                                                                              GOAL

Goals and Objectives of the Board of Selectmen

1. Policy/Procedures

A.  BOS/TA Policy– in 2 weeks BOS should submit their feedback

B.  Jean to draft policy on public hearings

2. Improve BOS meetings

A. Recommendations and feedback to chair within 60 days

à Minutes will be emailed to BOS before meeting, so that changes and comments can be incorporated prior to approval at the meeting.

3. Master Plan process involvement                                               Finalize in 2 weeks

A.  BOS to be updated through minutes, quarterly updates, BOS seat at table.                              

4. Improve budget process

A. Capital review [CIP] process

B. Annual BOS/AC [Advisory Committee] process

à Work together towards agreement on the budget

à Develop BOS fiscal policy

à Meet with AC before process begins [Nov] to discuss BOS goals, budget procedure and timeline      

5.   Improve town facilities

A.  Support community center & public safety projects which are in design and feasibility stages.

à Take a position promptly and ask for a report by January 15, 2007.

6.   Involvement in Form of Government

      A. Request that the Government Study Committee make a report by the end of December to the BOS

7.   Draft goals for the Town Administrator – 11/1/06

8.   Improve forms of communication:

· Website [add FAQ’s]

· Cable TV

· Insert in tax bills

· Town wide mailings, like the Town Information newsletter

9.   Re-visit these goals and objectives every six months

The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

Submitted by Vanessa D. Hale, Assistant Town Administrator