Select Board — May 12, 2026
While there was a spirited and detailed discussion regarding Town Meeting procedures and moderator authority, the formal voting remained consistent and unified.
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Confusion and shifting funds marked the May 12th Select Board meeting.
First, there is a significant transparency issue regarding the meeting's notice. While the posted agenda focused on Planning Board items—such as the Hartwell Farms permit and the Dark Sky bylaw—the meeting actually consisted of Select Board business. When the agenda does not match the actual proceedings, residents cannot know which topics require their attendance or attention.
Second, the board approved a $710,000 contract for the new Multi-Purpose Pavilion. Due to rising excavation and cement costs, the board is now utilizing unused Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds that were originally allocated for the Town Center Playground.
Lastly, the board discussed new ways to limit debate during Town Meetings. The Moderator suggested a policy where any question that cannot be answered within 60 seconds would be dismissed as 'rhetorical' to save time. As taxpayers, we must ensure that 'efficiency' is not used as a tool to bypass difficult questions about our budget and town operations.
Public impact
$710,000 contract award
The contract was approved unanimously.
Project is expected to begin in the summertime, with delivery around early July.
Installation of an all-way stop and a new stop sign.
The updates were approved unanimously.
Topics discussed
A public hearing was held regarding a request from Eversource for a grant of location to install utility lines, including a discussion on unauthorized work previously performed by a contractor.
The board discussed potential fines ($300 per offense) and the unusual nature of the contractor's error. The hearing was closed and the petition was approved.
The contractor is expected to complete the corrected work relatively soon.
The Select Board interviewed Phil Collis for an alternate position on the Historic District Commission (HDC).
The Select Board voted unanimously to appoint Phil Collis as an alternate to the HDC.
Collis must be sworn in by the Town Clerk and complete an ethics test.
Town Moderator David Powell provided a statistical analysis of the recent Town Meeting and offered four recommendations for future improvements.
The Select Board discussed the feedback, specifically regarding how to manage 'scope' and the efficiency of administrative responses to questions.
The board and moderator will consider implementing pre-meeting forums and better advertising of YouTube explanatory videos.
A discussion regarding the scope of budget changes at Town Meeting and the moderator's authority to manage debate and speaker limits.
The board engaged in a lengthy dialogue reflecting on the tensions between facilitating efficient meetings and ensuring elected officials can effectively defend their budgets.
Review and approval of a contract award for the construction of a new community pavilion.
The contract was approved unanimously.
Project is expected to begin in the summertime, with pavilion delivery around early July.
Proposed installation of additional stop signs in two residential areas to improve visibility and safety.
The updates to the traffic rules and regulations were approved unanimously.
A public hearing regarding the recommendation to vacate a seat on the Council on Aging due to health challenges.
The board voted unanimously to remove Louis Putney from the Council on Aging Board per Town Charter Section 9.9.
Approval of voter registrar appointments and various administrative items.
The appointments and remaining consent agenda items were approved.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Town Meeting Procedure and Moderator Authority
Council on Aging Membership Vacancy
Community vs. board tension
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Member positions
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”
Accountability flags
Agenda items not discussed
Topics discussed — not on agenda
Transcript vs. official minutes
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grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-24.
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