Board of Selectmen Meeting April 3, 2023

Town employee put on administrative leave. Library staffing problems. Recycling center to accept credit cards.

Town Employee Put on Administrative Leave

Ben Bartlett acknowledged that a town employee had been put on administrative leave associated with the many complaints against that employee. There is an investigation about the matter that is in its initial stages. The board will address the issue in its non-public session.

Library Staffing Problems

Library trustee Jennifer Phillips discussed the resignation of the library director and the library’s severe staffing shortages due to its inability to pay market wages. The town’s former library director has become the director of Barrington’s library, receiving a nearly 20% pay increase in doing so. The current market rate for a replacement library director is $62k to $65k. Wolfeboro is currently advertising at up to $80k for a library director. The town has budgeted this position at $52k.

The library has not been fully staffed since October 2021. There are two other positions that are currently unfilled because the library cannot offer market wages. These positions are budgeted at $11 per hour.

The typical time to fill a library director position is 26 to 38 weeks. A potential part-time interim library director has been identified.

Proposal to Pave Round Pond Rd.

The highway department proposed to pave a 700 ft section of Round Pond Rd. This section is so steep that highway department vehicles are having to use chains on it, which is bad for both the roads and the vehicles.

Tim Dabrio asked whether the residents requested this. The Town Administrator said no.

Steve Welch objected to the paving because few people live on that road. Ben Bartlett, John Morin and Tim Dabrio agreed, turning down the highway department’s request.

Town Website Policy about Political Parties

A citizen who in October had requested that the town include on its website a mention of the town’s Republican and Democratic party groups and when they met requested that the new board reconsider its decision. The prior request was disapproved on advice from the town’s former interim town administrator who believed that .gov domains are prohibited from promoting political parties. The citizen had contacted the authorities for .gov domains and was told in writing that there was no such prohibition. The board asked to review this document and would make a decision later.

Veterans Tax Credit

The state has informed the town that there is a problem with the wording of the 2023 veterans tax credit warrant article. It needs to be re-worded and re-submitted to the voters to be put into effect. This could be done at a special town meeting or it could be put on the ballot next year. If the issue is put off until next year, then the 30 veterans eligible for the credit will not receive the credit in 2023. To address this delay the board unanimously decided to issue abatements to the affected veterans for this year amounting to $22.5k.

Replacement Highway Department Truck

The town needs to replace a truck. It was unanimously approved to buy a new Ford F-350 from highway block funds. Ben Bartlett expressed concerns that town vehicles were not being adequately maintained as demonstrated by the short life of the truck being replaced. Cost is $76k.

Recycling Center to Start Accepting Credit Cards

The recycling center has requested to be able to take credit cards as payment, as so many people now no longer carry cash there have been problems with collecting money from people disposing of items for which there is a disposal fee. Credit card fees would be passed on to the consumer. Approved unanimously.

Election of Chairman and Committee Assignments Postponed

It was decided to delay the election of the chairman and making the committee assignments until Tiler Eaton could attend. He’s in Chicago at the moment on business.

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