Select Board — June 18, 2026
The meeting was primarily focused on administrative updates and procedural refinements, with no heated public debate recorded.
Public impact
Sam Hill Bridge Infrastructure
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The Highway Supervisor reported that the Sam Hill Bridge is currently weight-restricted because of the condition of the steel and wood decking.
The Board received the status report and is awaiting technical details from a consulting engineer.
The matter is to be continued once technical details are available.
Decisions logged
Topics discussed
04:00 Public Comments regarding Highway Department
Residents commended the Highway Supervisor for improvements in equipment, road conditions, and crew presence.
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Jon Champagne praised the Highway Department's recent improvements and offered to donate gravel and a road roller. Jim Hanson also commended the crew for visible improvements in road safety and patching.
The Board noted that instead of a donation, the Town will coordinate with the Highway Supervisor to purchase the material from Mr. Champagne at a nominal rate of $1 per load to comply with RSA requirements.
07:00 Town Administrator Performance Review
The Board discussed revising the evaluation rubric to be more streamlined and aligned with the job description.
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The Board debated moving away from a cumbersome scoring rubric toward a narrative-based approach keyed to the job description. They also discussed whether to include input from department heads during this cycle.
The Board decided to limit the current evaluation to Board members' input only, deferring staff input to a future cycle. They established a process of comparing individual member evaluations against the Administrator's self-assessment.
A Special Meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026, at 9:00 AM to work on the rubric.
09:40 Strategic Plan Refinement
The Board reviewed feedback on the proposed strategic plan framework.
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The Board identified several areas needing clarification in the draft plan, including Unreserved Fund Balance targets, the scope of the Purchase Order system, and infrastructure bonding priorities.
The Board agreed the document requires dedicated time to resolve outstanding questions and prepare it for publication on the Town website.
A Special Meeting is scheduled for Friday, July 10, 2026, at 9:00 AM to work on the strategic plan.
11:50 Combined Treasurer / Town Administrator Review
The Board reviewed the legality and financial safeguards of combining the Treasurer and Town Administrator roles.
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Vice Chairman Fenton presented research to address concerns regarding the legality of the dual role. He cited RSA 41:26-c and New Hampshire Municipal Association guidance to argue the arrangement is lawful and properly transitioned.
The Board discussed existing financial checks and balances, such as the Town Administrator having only view-only access to the accounting system. No formal action was taken; the information was placed on the public record.
17:00 Highway Department and Infrastructure Update
The Highway Supervisor provided updates on road maintenance, paving projects, and the Sam Hill Bridge.
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Updates included progress on Hoyt Road, upcoming paving on Plains Road (pending a culvert replacement), and the status of the Sam Hill Bridge. The bridge is currently weight-restricted due to degraded steel and wood decking.
The Board received the status report. Regarding the bridge, the Town Administrator is awaiting technical details from the consulting engineer.
The Sam Hill Bridge matter is to be continued.
22:30 Planning Board Update
Vice Chairman Fenton provided an update on the master plan and zoning ordinance compliance.
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The master plan update is on hold. The priority is reconciling the zoning ordinance with recent State legislative changes. The discussion also covered the two tracks of enforcement: statute-based (Planning Board) and local ordinance-based (Select Board).
The Board discussed the importance of maintaining the distinction between the roles of the Planning Board and the Select Board. The camping ordinance rewrite is complete.
A local-ordinance enforcement policy for camping will be brought back to the Board.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Combined Treasurer / Town Administrator Role
Town Administrator Performance Evaluation Process
Community vs. board tension
Action items
Notable statements
The [Treasurer/Administrator] arrangement is legal, is permitted under the conditions present in Andover, and was properly executed... — Vice Chairman Fenton · Addressing concerns/assertions that the combination of duties was illegal. 12:30
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.”
Public comment
Accountability flags
Agenda items not discussed
Topics discussed — not on agenda
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gemma-4-26b, grok-4.3, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning, grok-4-fast · analyzed 2026-06-22.