Select Board — May 18, 2026
The meeting was characterized by technical discussions and administrative updates without significant public outcry or heated debate.
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During the May 18 Select Board meeting, a significant concern was raised regarding the workload of Bradford’s municipal staff. Town employees reported that the increasing number of events held in public buildings is causing 'significant disruption' to daily essential operations, including building inspections and clerk duties. This creates a direct conflict between the town's role as a community hub and its responsibility to maintain efficient government services.
Rather than committing to a permanent staffing solution to protect these core functions, the Select Board has opted to seek a volunteer event coordinator. While the board is looking into creating a dedicated 'events' email address to streamline requests, the long-term impact of relying on volunteers to manage municipal workload remains unclear.
Additionally, the board approved a paving bid for the Town Hall and Fire Department from Twin State. While the bid was accepted, board members noted it was 'significantly lower' than the competing bid, raising questions about whether the full scope of the necessary work is adequately covered by the lower price point.
Public impact
$12,056 for fire panels and camera setups
The board approved the $12,056 expenditure using property sale proceeds.
600 feet of private road and a 3.5-foot road elevation increase
The driveway permit was approved.
Applicants must complete the building permit process, sign a liability waiver, and prove insurability.
Topics discussed
The board reviewed and approved the minutes from the previous meeting with one minor spelling correction.
Minutes were accepted with the spelling amendment.
Discussion regarding a proposal to build a driveway on a Class X road and private property involving 600 feet of private road.
The driveway permit was approved.
The applicants must complete the building permit process, which includes signing a liability waiver and proving property insurability.
The board discussed the ongoing efforts to find and onboard a new Parks Director.
The current strategy is to prepare all necessary materials and plans so that once a director is found, they can step into a structured role immediately.
The board addressed a donation to the scholarship fund.
The donation was approved.
Discussion regarding a request for structural analysis bids for town buildings.
The discussion was tabled to a later date.
A request to appoint an event coordinator due to the increased workload of managing public building usage.
The board agreed to seek a volunteer for the role and will look into creating a dedicated 'events' email address.
The town will post an announcement for a volunteer coordinator on the website and Facebook.
Review of bids for paving projects at the Town Hall and Fire Department.
The board moved to accept the Twin State bid for both projects, subject to a contract review by the town attorney.
Town attorney to review the contract.
Discussion on upgrading security systems at the Town Hall, Highway Department, and Transfer Station.
The security upgrades were approved using funds from the sale of town property.
Discussion regarding the contract for mowing the Bradford Center Meeting House.
The board is waiting on a second estimate.
Staff to reach out to Nathan Wolek for a mowing estimate.
Updates were provided regarding landscaping projects at French's Park and Brown Shattuck, including a community plant drive and silt sock installation.
The board noted the community momentum and the progress of the field work. It was determined that expensive security is not currently necessary to address recent vandalism.
a speaker will put out an announcement regarding the plant drive at the library; maintenance will continue on the Brown Shattuck fields to even out the ground.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Town Hall Event Management
Paving Project Bidding
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.”
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grok-4.3, grok-4-fast, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-07.
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