By Muriel Bristol | September 29, 2018
The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, October 1.
The meeting is scheduled to begin with a Non-Public preliminary session at 5:00 PM. That agenda has two Non-Public items classed as 91-A:3 II (a) and 91-A:3 II (c).
91-A:3 II (a). The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.
The first matter (the “a” item) suggests that some Town employee is getting either a kick in the pants, a pat on the back, or a kiss in the mail.
91-A:3 II (c). Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body itself, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine, or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant.
The second matter (the “c” item) might relate again to the recent tax abatement process. Although one would think they would have worked their way through those by now. It might by now be one of the other reasons cited in by the code.
The BOS intend to adjourn their Non-Public BOS session at approximately (*) 6:00 PM, when they intend to return to Public session.
The Public portion of the agenda has new business, old business, the next wave of departmental budget presentations, and the approval of minutes.
Under new business is scheduled: 1) Town Planner Contract Acceptance (Heather Thibodeau), 2) 2019-2024 CIP Discussion (Ryan Thibeault), and 3) Conservation Commission Non-Voting Member Position Discussion.
The CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) is the method by which the departments fast-track their “capital” expenses past the ballot. By definition, government has no capital. No one invests in it. It has no income apart from what it levies in taxes and fees. Government is a consumer and its inventory consists of consumption goods purchased with tax money. For that reason, some have termed this the Tax Acceleration Plan (TAP) instead.
Under old business is scheduled: 4) Downtown Parking Discussion Follow up (Rich Krauss), 5) Townhouse Heating/Cooling Discussion Follow up (Erin Hutchings), 6) Recreation Revenue and Office Discussion (Ryan Thibeault), and 7) Selectmen Discussion of Budget Presentations from 9.24.18
Chief Krauss returns to speak again on downtown parking issues. Winter is coming. Townhouse heating problems appear for the fifth time.
Chairman Thibeault will speak on Recreation Revenue. In prior meetings, the BOS was unable to distinguish between beach admittance money and boat ramp money. The Recreation Office discussion likely proceeds from Selectman Lucier’s expressed desire to shut down the Beach’s satellite office for the winter.
The BOS will discuss the prior (September 24) meeting’s annual departmental budget submissions. That bears watching. The prior meeting’s installment of departmental budget submissions included Economic Development, Budget Committee, Fire, Emergency Management, Library, Welfare, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, and Outside Appropriations. (Not in that order).
This meeting’s installment of departmental budget submissions includes (time permitting): Planning & Code Enforcement, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), Conservation, Town Administration, Government Buildings, Solid Waste, Highway, and Debt Services.
Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.
References:
State of New Hampshire. (2016, June 21). RSA Chapter 91-A. Access to Governmental Records and Meetings. Retrieved from www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-3.htm
Town of Milton. (2018, September 28). BOS Meeting Agenda, October 1, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_831_676618924.pdf
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