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Meeting report · Select Board
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Select Board — April 13, 2026

The meeting was characterized by routine administrative business, unanimous voting, and constructive discussion regarding technical grant details.

Date Monday, April 13, 2026 Duration 1.0h Speakers 15 Public comments 2 Decisions 12 Routine

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Ask MeetingWatch answers from this meeting’s report, transcript, and records — with linked sources.

Summary AI-generated to surface controversy & community impact without bias — always verify against the actual meeting before relying on it.

During the Hollis Select Board meeting on April 13, 2026, two significant issues surfaced regarding how our town manages data and public information.

First, the Board discussed a $1 million consortium grant for police records and dispatch software. While this upgrade could potentially save taxpayers $2.5 million over five years, the Board is exercising caution. They are currently demanding verification of FedRAMP security certifications and, more importantly, seeking clarity on who owns the data once the initial five-year period ends. Protecting our town's data sovereignty is critical before committing to long-term software dependencies.

Second, the Board addressed the rising cost of transparency. With legal fees related to Right to Know requests exceeding $7,000 in 2025, the Board is implementing a new system to route all requests through the Town Coordinator to better track administrative labor. While fiscal responsibility is necessary, residents should remain vigilant to ensure that centralizing these requests does not make it more difficult for citizens to access the information they are legally entitled to receive.

Apr 13, 2026 1.0h long 15 speakers 2 public comments 12 decisions Routine
Notable statements Drag to browse

“I'm not going to slow people down from getting better educated.”

— Unidentified speaker · Discussing the reimbursement of educational expenses for a fire department employee. ▶ 17:06

“I want both staff, board members, and the public to understand what's involved with Right to Know requests, how expensive they are, and under what conditions they're being requested.”

— Unidentified speaker · Explaining the new presentation format for tracking Right to Know requests. ▶ 41:52
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
What was discussed

Potential $2.5 million in taxpayer savings over five years, but involves long-term data management and software dependency.

What happened

No vote was taken; staff were directed to verify vendor certifications and provide the contract to the board.

What was discussed

Routine approval of tax abatements, timber levies, and significant warrants for wages and accounts payable.

What happened

All items were approved via unanimous motions.

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Community members provided updates on local trails and historical society initiatives.

What happened

The board acknowledged the updates; the Historical Society offered the new book to board members.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

An update on the consortium grant for records management and computer-aided dispatch upgrades.

What happened

The board received the update; no vote was taken as the contract is still being reviewed.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

The board reviewed recent Right to Know requests and discussed administrative tracking and costs.

What happened

The board established that Right to Know reports will be a recurring agenda item.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Police Department CDS Grant and Software Upgrade

The upgrade involves a $1 million grant for cloud-based records management and dispatch software. While it offers significant taxpayer savings, board members raised specific concerns regarding data ownership, portability after the initial five-year period, and federal security certifications (FedRAMP).
Board position: The board expressed cautious interest but required further technical and contractual verification before proceeding.
low concern
02

Right to Know Request Management

The board discussed the rising costs associated with Right to Know requests, noting over $7,000 in legal fees in 2025. There is an effort to change how requests are handled to manage administrative labor and legal expenses.
Board position: The board is moving toward a more centralized tracking system to control costs and ensure transparency.
low concern

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
2
Speakers
2
Comments
1
Addressed
0
Partial
1
Not addressed
Sherry Weiskill
Not addressed
Sherry provided an update regarding the trails, noting that they are back open and being cleared of downed trees. She also mentioned that the Snowmobile Club is assisting with the Birch Hill area. Key concern
Providing a status update on trail maintenance and reopening.
The speaker provided an informational update rather than a request or question requiring a board response.
Dave Sullivan
Addressed
Representing the Hollis Historical Society, Dave shared upcoming activities for the town's 250th anniversary, including a new scholarship and an audio tour. He also announced the completion of a new history book and offered copies to the Select Board. Key concern
Sharing information about Historical Society initiatives and the new book.
Board response
The board members expressed appreciation and enthusiasm for the updates and the book gift.
The board acknowledged the information and thanked the speaker for the update and the gift.

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission.
Accepted after three years of service as an alternate.
Motion carries
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate.
Term to expire April 30, 2029.
Motion carries
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee.
Term to expire April 30, 2028.
Motion carries
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate.
Term to expire April 30, 2028.
Motion carries
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026.
Approved with a minor correction regarding the Select Board representative designation.
Motion carries
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account.
Requested by Steve Ettelson.
Motion carries
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant to repair the bridge on Federal Hill Road.
Repair of the bridge at the head of Hayden Reservoir (parcel 35-77) on town-owned property.
Motion carries
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses.
Reimbursement for a full-time captain's completed course (approx. $1,300-$1,500).
Motion carries
Approve 2025 tax abatements, 2026 timber cut report, 2025 timber tax levy, and 2025 excavation report.
Multiple administrative assessments and levies.
Motion carries
Approve warrants for wages, accounts payable, and HSA account.
Wages: $306,715; AP: $848,567.91; HSA: $3,292.81.
Motion carries
Approve delegation of functions for the Finance Director.
Delegates deposit, investment, record keeping, and reconciliation to Deb Patakula.
Motion carries
Approve public minutes from March 30, 2026.
Formal approval of meeting minutes.
Motion carries

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Fiscal and data oversight regarding police software upgrades
At the 4/13 Select Board meeting, officials discussed a $1M police software grant. While it could save $2.5M, the Board is still questioning data ownership and security certifications. We need to ensure long-term taxpayer... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-04-13/ #MeetingWatch #HollisNH
308/280 chars
Transparency and the cost of public information access
Hollis Select Board is centralizing all Right to Know requests through the Town Coordinator. The Board noted legal fees for these requests exceeded $7,000 in 2025. Transparency shouldn't be a budget line item to be managed down. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-04-13/ #MeetingWatch #HollisNH
312/280 chars
Fiscal accountability and warrant approvals
During the 4/13 meeting, the Board approved $848,567 in accounts payable and $306,715 in wages. Residents should stay engaged with how these large warrants are being processed to ensure municipal spending remains disciplined. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-04-13/ #MeetingWatch #HollisNH
309/280 chars

X thread

1
What is the true cost of transparency in Hollis? At the April 13 Select Board meeting, the Board addressed rising costs and legal fees associated with Right to Know requests. 🧵 #MeetingWatch #HollisNH
200/280
2
The Board noted that legal fees for Right to Know requests topped $7,000 in 2025. In response, they are moving to centralize all requests through the Town Coordinator to track labor and costs more strictly.
206/280
3
While managing administrative costs is vital, residents must ensure that 'efficiency' doesn't become a barrier to accessing public information. Accountability requires that the cost of oversight never outweighs the value of transparency. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-04-13/
261/280

Facebook — long form

During the Hollis Select Board meeting on April 13, 2026, two significant issues surfaced regarding how our town manages data and public information.

First, the Board discussed a $1 million consortium grant for police records and dispatch software. While this upgrade could potentially save taxpayers $2.5 million over five years, the Board is exercising caution. They are currently demanding verification of FedRAMP security certifications and, more importantly, seeking clarity on who owns the data once the initial five-year period ends. Protecting our town's data sovereignty is critical before committing to long-term software dependencies.

Second, the Board addressed the rising cost of transparency. With legal fees related to Right to Know requests exceeding $7,000 in 2025, the Board is implementing a new system to route all requests through the Town Coordinator to better track administrative labor. While fiscal responsibility is necessary, residents should remain vigilant to ensure that centralizing these requests does not make it more difficult for citizens to access the information they are legally entitled to receive. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-04-13/ #MeetingWatch #HollisNH

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Verify if Central Square software vendor is FedRAMP certified.
Assigned: Staff
Provide a copy of the Central Square software contract to the Select Board.
Assigned: Staff
Coordinate all Right to Know requests through Chrissy (Town Administrator/Coordinator) for tracking.
Assigned: All Departments · Due: Immediate

Member ⁠positions

10 issues · 8 explicit · 0 inferred
David Petry
Chairman
Present
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission YES
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate YES
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee YES
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate YES
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026 YES
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account YES
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant YES
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses YES
Wanted confirmation that the expense was included in the budget.
Police Department CDS Grant Update
Inquired if the software company is a U.S. company.
Tom Whalen
Vice Chair
Present
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission YES
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate YES
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee YES
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate YES
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026 YES
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account YES
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant YES
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses YES
Police Department CDS Grant Update
Asked about contract duration and price guarantees.
Present
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission YES
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate YES
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee YES
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate YES
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026 YES
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account YES
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant YES
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses YES
Police Department CDS Grant Update
Inquired about how the grant covers costs for years 1-5.
Present
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission YES
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate YES
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee YES
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate YES
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026 YES
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account YES
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant YES
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses YES
Present
Accept the resignation of Greg Lenartz from the Heritage Commission YES
Appoint Tanya Parsley to the Highway Safety Committee as an alternate YES
Appoint Lindsay Sood to the Old Home Days Committee YES
Appoint Michael Columb to the Recreation Commission as an alternate YES
Approve the annual volunteer reappointment list dated April 13, 2026 YES
Noted his name was listed twice on the Trails Committee.
Approve third-party access authorization for the Hollis Energy Committee for the Constellation account YES
Authorize the chair to sign permission for the Nor'easter Snowmobile Club to apply for a state grant YES
Inquired about the landowner of the parcel.
Approve reimbursement for Fire Department educational expenses YES

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

Documented procedural gaps. Each item links to its source.

Agenda items not discussed

Topics discussed — not on agenda

Transcript vs. official minutes

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Report composed by grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-07-08.