Non-Public Board of Selectmen Meeting, January 8, 2024
Employee fired for physical altercation with another employee. Resolution of nepotism charge. Potential litigation against the town for well poisoning.
The board decided that they covered nothing in their January 8 meeting that would require sealing the minutes. Hence the minutes are available on the town’s website.
Employee Fired
Two employees got into a verbal and physical altercation, resulting in one employee being fired and another in the same department resigning. The positions are to be advertised.
These ads have not yet appeared on the town’s website. As the only departments with two or more vacancies as of January 22, this firing appears to have occurred in either the Recycling Center or the Fire Department.
Poisoned Well
The board discussed the possibility of litigation against the town for poisoning a well with road salt. The town’s insurance company will not cover any potential claims on this matter.
Nepotism Charge
The town received an email questioning the existence of nepotism in a department. The board reviewed the town’s policies on nepotism and the facts of the case, including hire dates and the fact that prior approval had been given for the hire by both the Town Administrator and the board.
In an earlier issue of the Nottingham Blog this case of nepotism was identified as the brother-in-law of the Police Chief.
Other News
Plans for a New Police Station
It has been a matter of ongoing debate at board meetings whether plans (although not detailed building plans) exist for expanding the Fire Station built in 2007 to add a new Police Station. The existence of these plans is of debatable value with regard to the upcoming warrant article to spend $40k on designing a new Police Station, the construction of which would depend on funding from a future warrant article.
Selectman Bartlett had assured the board that such plans exist and that two members of the Fire Department had told him they had seen them.
The plans have been located. They are plans for expanding the Fire Station to have additional bays for equipment. They are not plans for a Police Station.
Candidacy Period
The period to file to become a candidate for town office is open until Friday, February 2. See details. Among the many offices open, there are 2 openings for Selectman and 3 for Budget Committee.
Deliberative Sessions
Town Deliberative Session Saturday, February 3, 9:00 am at the school.
School Deliberative Session, Wednesday, February 7, 6:00 pm at the school.
At the Town Deliberative Session, changes to the operating budget are likely to be proposed. I’ve been told a change to the Community Newsletter budget will be proposed. The warrant article proposing a $60k increase in the budget for the Fire Chief’s compensation seems likely to be contended.
Neither deliberative session will be televised, but both will be recorded and posted to YouTube.
