Select Board

Filing Info for 2019 Board & Committee Openings

Declaration of Candidacy is available at Town Office for the following positions:

  • One Select Board member and overseer of the poor for (3) three year term;
  • One Town Treasurer for (1) one year term;
  • One Chief of the Fire Department for (1) one year term;
  • Three members of the Budget Committee for (3) three year term;
  • One Trustee of the Trust Funds for (3) three year term;
  • One Trustee of the Library Trust for (3) three year term;
  • One Trustee of the Cemetery Trust for (3) three year
  • One Supervisors of the Checklist for (2) year term
  • Three Surveyors of the Wood and Lumber for (1) year term;
  • One Fence Viewer for (1) year term;
  • One Tree Warden for (1) year term;
  • Two members of the Parks and Recreation for (1) year term

The filing period opens January 23, 2019 and closes February 1, 2019

Town Office business hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 9-1 am and Thurs 3-7 pm

Special Sign-up Session will be held: Friday, February 1, 2019 from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

January 16, 2019 in Budget Committee, Community Group, Conservation, Fire Department, Library, Select Board, Voting

SB2 Information

 SB2 is Here.   Now What?

Budget Public Hearing, Deliberative Session and Voting

The Town of Rollinsford has voted to institute the Official Ballot Referenda, or “SB 2”.  This is a new form of town meeting, consisting of two sessions – the deliberative session and the vote.  Your attendance at all of the meetings is important.

But wait! Before we vote, this Saturday, January 12that 9:00am at the Grade School will be the Budget Committee’s public hearing on the Town and Water and Sewer District budgets. The Budget Committee will hear public comment then meet immediately following the public hearing to decide whether or not to modify the budget based on what they heard at the public hearing.

The first session of Town Meeting (yes, it is still called that, it’s just a different form now) is the deliberative session and is scheduled for 9:00 am on  Saturday, February 2, 2019 at the Grade School.  This is the closest equivalent to the town meeting you are used to.  This will be the only time you can voice your opinion and offer amendments to the proposed operating budget and warrant articles presented. Any warrant article language or dollar amount may be modified by the registered voters present.

At the second session (the vote), the polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday, March 12, 2019 for the ballot vote on the budget and warrant articles as amended at the first session.  This is a vote only – discussion and amendments cannot occur.  Should the proposed operating budget fail, and a special meeting is not called to reconsider this, a “default budget” is automatically adopted.  The “default budget” is the same as the prior year’s budget with certain adjustments per state statute. The law does not allow reconsideration of votes cast on warrant articles other than the operating budget.

Date correction (from initial publication in the newsletter mailed with tax bills):

 

Want to Know Where Your Tax Dollars Go?

To be informed, express your own opinions, find out what others think and help spend our tax money wisely, you will want to attend the deliberative sessions to review the proposed budget warrant articles for the town and the school. The town deliberative session will be on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at 9:00 am and the school deliberative session will be held on Tuesday, February 5, at 6 pm.  Both will be held at the Rollinsford Grade School (RGS). Public hearings on these budgets  are scheduled for Saturdays, January  5 & 12, 9 am RGS

 

January 9, 2019 in Budget Committee, School Board, Select Board

Town Administrator Announcement

The Select Board has been operating with less than optimal administrative support. This was validated by the report of the Ad Hoc Town Manager Committee which is viewable here.

Faced with the choice between a Town Manager and a Town Administrator, the Select Board decided that a Town Administrator was the best first-step for Rollinsford. A future Board could certainly advocate to change the form of government to a Town Manager but this Board felt that keeping the current form of government and adding an Administrator was more appropriate. This will keep more authority with the Select Board, easing Rollinsford into this change in administration.

Last night the Select Board took the historic step of appointing Caroline Kendall to the new position of Town Administrator. This was an action that took many months of deliberation. The Board has felt as though it was time, after years of conversation and bemoaning the lack of administrative support, to take this important step. This will not immediately solve any administrative support problems as it is only a change in title. The goal is, with the passing of the budget, to hire a part-time bookkeeper to assist Caroline and free her time to fulfill more Town Administrator duties.

Caroline has served on the School Board, Budget Committee, CIP Committee prior to her employment with the Town. She has also served on the Planning Board and is a Water and Sewer District Commissioner. This past December Caroline graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with her Masters of Public Administration. The Board wanted to recognize that many of the functions Caroline has been filling are Town Administrator duties. With her job experience, prior board and committee experience and her education, we felt it was logically the next step in the progression of advancing administrative support for the Town.

Here is a link to the job description for this position. Note that it is long and very comprehensive. The Board addressed in our offer letter to Caroline that we fully understand that without additional support there are many functions that will continue to go unserved. However, we felt as though it is important for us all to recognize what this job should be and what we are striving to achieve.

Most employees who currently report directly to the Board will continue to do so. The only change in organizational structure is that the Building Inspector, Janitor, minute-takers and Bookkeeper (should that new position get approved) will report directly to Caroline.

We hope that you will embrace Caroline in this new position. This is a transition period and we are all learning as we go. The Board is committed to evaluating the situation as it evolves and hope that you all will offer Caroline your congratulations and support.

January 9, 2019 in Select Board

Employment Opportunity: Budget Committee Secretary

The responsibilities of the position include:

• Taking written minutes of the Budget Committee meetings
• Attending all Budget Committee meetings
• Video recording meetings

Must have great written communication skills.

The ideal candidate would be available to fill in to take minutes for other board meetings as needed.

The Budget Committee meets quarterly and also almost weekly in the fall on Wednesday nights at the town office at 6:30pm.

If interested, please submit a resume and coverletter to [email protected]

January 7, 2019 in Budget Committee, Select Board

Budget Meetings This Week

Select Board Budget Workshop

The Select Board will be meeting on Monday, November 26, 2018 at 6:00pm at the Town Hall for to discuss the budget. The regular Select Board meeting will follow.

Budget Committee Meeting

The Budget Committee will be meeting on Wednesday November 28, 2018 at 6:30pm in the Town Hall. Proposed budget presentations will be delivered to the Committee by the Library, Police Department, and Fire Department

November 26, 2018 in Budget Committee, Select Board