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Meeting report · Select Board
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Select Board — May 18, 2026

The meeting was routine, consisting of unanimous votes on departmental updates, routine financial warrants, and standard equipment leasing.

Date Monday, May 18, 2026 Duration 0.4h Speakers 10 Decisions 4 Routine

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

Hollis Select Board Meeting Summary: May 18, 2026

During the May 18 meeting, the Select Board made several significant financial decisions that impact Hollis taxpayers. Most notably, the Board approved a three-year lease for two new police cruisers through TD Equipment Finance. The total cost of the lease is $121,761.12, with annual payments of $40,587.04 at a 4.44% interest rate. During the discussion, board members raised questions about whether leasing is the most fiscally responsible move in a high-interest-rate environment compared to outright purchasing.

In addition to equipment leasing, the Board approved the Tax Collector's warrant for a total taxation amount of $21,972,827. This warrant includes an 8% annual interest rate for any sums not paid by the deadline.

Finally, the Board provided an update on the costs associated with a recent Right to Know request. The request sought 10 years of use-of-force data from the Hollis Police Department, which incurred $119.30 in costs for two hours of staff time.

As residents, it is important to stay engaged with these decisions regarding how our tax dollars are allocated for equipment and municipal operations.

May 18, 2026 0.4h long 10 speakers 4 decisions Routine
Notable statements Drag to browse

“I would ask that it get reinstated to my SCBA line in the fire department budget.”

— Unidentified speaker · Requesting the sale proceeds be returned to the specific budget line used to fund the grant. ▶ 03:54

“Does it still make sense to lease equipment or should we be thinking about buying it outright?”

— Unidentified speaker · Questioning the wisdom of leasing in a high-interest-rate environment during the discussion of cruiser leases. ▶ 17:05
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

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

Total taxation amount of $21,972,827

What happened

The board approved the warrant with a 3-0 vote.

Topics ⁠discussed

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

The board held a public hearing to approve spending $15,000 from the sale of 28 used breathing apparatuses back into the Fire Department's SCBA line.

What happened

The board approved the acceptance and spending of the revenue via a 3-0 vote.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

The DPW Director provided updates on road crack sealing, a vehicle mileage inquiry, the Rocky Pond Transfer Station project, and road work on Dow Road.

What happened

The board approved the crack sealing bid of $24,500.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

The board reviewed and approved a proposal to lease two police cruisers over a three-year term.

What happened

The board approved the lease and granted signing authority to Deb and Chrissy.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

The board reviewed and approved the tax collector's warrant for the current half-year.

What happened

The board approved the warrant 3-0.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

An update was provided regarding expenses related to a Right to Know request for police use-of-force data.

What happened

The board was informed of the year-to-date Right to Know tracking totals.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

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

Potentially controversial issues

01

Police Cruiser Leasing

The board deliberated on the financial wisdom of leasing versus purchasing vehicles in a high-interest-rate environment, which impacts long-term municipal expenditures.
Board position: The board decided to proceed with a three-year lease from TD Equipment Finance.
low concern

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Accept and spend $15,000 unanticipated revenue from the sale of 28 used SCBA units for the SCBA program.
Funds to be used for rapid intervention packs and general maintenance/repair.
3-0
Accept crack sealing bid from Henry Dow.
Cost of $24,500 to seal Dow Road, Hardy Lane, Federal Hill, Bell Lane, and Pierce.
3-0
Accept three-year police cruiser lease from TD Equipment Finance.
Total not to exceed $121,761.12; three annual payments of $40,587.04 at 4.44% interest. Includes signing authority for Deb and Chrissy.
3-0
Approve the tax collector's warrant as written.
Taxation amount of $21,972,827 with 8% interest per annum on unpaid sums after July.
3-0

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Fiscal responsibility and questioning long-term municipal expenditures
On May 18, the Hollis Select Board approved a 3-year lease for two police cruisers totaling $121,761.12. Board members questioned if leasing makes sense in a high-interest-rate environment, but ultimately moved forward with the TD... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-05-18/ #MeetingWatch
307/280 chars
High-impact fiscal decision affecting all residents
Hollis taxpayers: The Select Board approved a tax collector's warrant for $21,972,827 at the May 18 meeting. This involves an 8% annual interest rate for unpaid sums. Keeping track of these massive figures is vital for community... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-05-18/ #MeetingWatch
305/280 chars
Transparency regarding use-of-force data requests
During the May 18 Select Board meeting, updates were provided on the costs associated with a Right to Know request for 10 years of Hollis Police use-of-force data. The request incurred $119.30 in costs for two hours of staff work... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-05-18/ #MeetingWatch
306/280 chars

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Hollis Select Board Meeting Recap (May 18, 2026): While much of the meeting was routine, several financial decisions regarding police equipment and taxation warrants require resident attention. 🧵 #MeetingWatch #HollisNH
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The Board approved a three-year lease for two police cruisers from TD Equipment Finance. Total cost: $121,761.12 at a 4.44% interest rate. Some board members raised valid questions about whether leasing is wise given today's high-interest-rate environment.
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On the fiscal front, the Board approved the Tax Collector's warrant, covering a total taxation amount of $21,972,827. This includes an 8% annual interest rate on sums not paid by the deadline. Monitoring these large-scale financial obligations is essential.
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Finally, the Board provided an update on Right to Know expenses. A request for 10 years of Hollis Police use-of-force data resulted in $119.30 in costs for two hours of work. Stay informed on how town resources are used to fulfill transparency... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-05-18/
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Hollis Select Board Meeting Summary: May 18, 2026

During the May 18 meeting, the Select Board made several significant financial decisions that impact Hollis taxpayers. Most notably, the Board approved a three-year lease for two new police cruisers through TD Equipment Finance. The total cost of the lease is $121,761.12, with annual payments of $40,587.04 at a 4.44% interest rate. During the discussion, board members raised questions about whether leasing is the most fiscally responsible move in a high-interest-rate environment compared to outright purchasing.

In addition to equipment leasing, the Board approved the Tax Collector's warrant for a total taxation amount of $21,972,827. This warrant includes an 8% annual interest rate for any sums not paid by the deadline. 

Finally, the Board provided an update on the costs associated with a recent Right to Know request. The request sought 10 years of use-of-force data from the Hollis Police Department, which incurred $119.30 in costs for two hours of staff time. 

As residents, it is important to stay engaged with these decisions regarding how our tax dollars are allocated for equipment and municipal operations. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/hollis/select-board/2026-05-18/ #MeetingWatch #HollisNH

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Email David regarding the mileage on the 2012 International truck.
Assigned: DPW Director (Joni)
Sign the police cruiser leasing documents once available.
Assigned: Deb and Chrissy

Member ⁠positions

4 issues · 4 explicit · 0 inferred
David Petry
Chairman
Absent
Tom Whalen
Vice Chair
Present
Unanticipated Revenue: SCBA Sale YES
DPW Department Updates YES
Police Cruiser Leasing YES
Tax Collector's Warrant YES
Absent
Present
Unanticipated Revenue: SCBA Sale YES
DPW Department Updates YES
Police Cruiser Leasing YES
Questioned if leasing makes sense vs. buying outright in high-interest environment.
Tax Collector's Warrant YES
Present
Unanticipated Revenue: SCBA Sale YES
DPW Department Updates YES
Police Cruiser Leasing YES
Tax Collector's Warrant 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.