Select Board Meeting ~ June 1, 2026

2026-06-01 · Select Board · 37:54 · watch on YouTube →

The Select Board met on Monday June 1, 2026, a night earlier than usual, because the town meeting warrant articles have to be approved seven days before town meeting begins and town meeting technically starts on the morning of the municipal election. With Deb excused, the board removed the executive session from the agenda and approved the warrant articles as submitted, both unanimously. It then discussed the layout for town meeting, agreeing to move the podium so speakers face the audience but to leave the Select Board and Budget Committee tables where they are. The town manager reported a 42% increase in dispatch costs from next year, the decision to stay with the Trio financial system rather than move to Town Cloud, and the resignation of the fire chief, which leaves the post vacant with no interim chief in a volunteer department. The meeting closed with a tribute to Chief Tripp and a list of dates: elections June 9 and town meeting Saturday June 13.

No written minutes could be matched to this meeting. The transcript records that the speaker changed but never who was speaking, so any name attached to a statement below is inferred from context and is marked (?).

What was discussed

1. 1:55
   Opening and removal of the executive session

   Joe (?) opened at 6:32 p.m. with a quorum, noting Deb was excused and would be back at the next meeting. Members agreed no executive session was needed and moved to remove it from the agenda. There was no public comment.

2. 1:55
   Approving the town meeting warrant articles

   The chair explained the meeting had been moved from Tuesday to Monday because the warrant articles must be approved seven days before the start of town meeting, and town meeting technically begins on the morning of the municipal election, so a Tuesday vote would have been hours late. He said the articles are all things the board has already approved, now set out in one place. Members thanked town staff for turning the board's discussions into warrant language.

3. 1:55
   Why the school board start date differs

   A member asked why one article sets a start date for the school board but there is nothing equivalent for the Select Board or Budget Committee. The answer was that Michelle Richardson, chair of the school board, had requested it and that statute allows that leniency because the outgoing board still finishes year-end work and a review with the superintendent after the election, so new members start June 30. Select Board and Budget Committee terms end with the end of town meeting and turn over immediately.

4. 1:55
   Town meeting setup

   The moderator is confirmed in the sense that someone is coming with the intention of moderating, though the town still has to vote to enrol a moderator. The setup as it stands is the same as always, with the Select Board and Budget Committee at the front and a podium facing the moderator. Rebecca, who had asked for the item, proposed putting the podium kitty corner so whoever is speaking faces the community as well as the board, moving the Budget Committee from its table to the front row of the audience, and putting the moderator on the stage.

5. 7:12
   Whether to move the Budget Committee

   Rebecca (?) argued the Budget Committee has to stand up every time it speaks and would make more sense sitting with the rest of Durham, and that it is awkward for a speaker to have their back to the room. Another member said he did not want to move the Budget Committee this late in the process, because whatever the intent, any change to its position would be read as diminishing its role. The board discussed past practice: the two bodies used to alternate introducing warrant articles, odd and even, but for several years the Select Board has introduced all of them, often giving the Budget Committee chair the first right of response.

6. 12:39
   Where the podium goes

   Members noted the moderator's manual says speakers should address the moderator, who then finds whoever can answer, though in practice people are talking to their neighbours. The board settled on leaving the front tables alone, moving the podium so it is angled towards the community, checking with the moderator for any rule against it, and asking both boards to speak from their seats, where the Budget Committee already has microphones. Setup will be done the night before, with Jessica offering a second set of eyes.

7. 12:39
   The moderator

   Members identified the moderator as Bill Schneider, who has been asked and is available, is retired apart from some state commissions, and will do it as long as he is in town. A moderator who did charge would have to be budgeted for, which he is not. Members thought it worth Rebecca looking into other people for future years, mentioning someone who moderated the school board meeting as an option.

8. 12:39
   Scholarship recipients

   The scholarship recipients cannot be at town meeting, which is traditionally when the awards are formally presented. The board agreed to recognise them verbally at town meeting and to see whether they can come to a future Select Board meeting.

9. 17:51
   Manager's report: dispatch services

   Jerry (?) reported that dispatch services are going up 42% next budget year, from $24,913 to $35,471, and that the dispatch line will be higher still because there are other dispatch services in it. The payment falls due September 27, so it lands in next year's budget rather than the one going to town meeting. He said Police Chief McGee had emailed about a push not to go with that arrangement and that there may be a less expensive dispatch option, which he will work on over the next few months.

10. 17:51
    Batting cage and financial software

    The baseball batting cage is up. The total bill was $18,400, of which the town paid the $8,000 the board had agreed, with donations covering the rest. On financial software, the town is backing out of the planned move to Town Cloud and staying with Trio, which staff already use: the town paid Town Cloud some years ago to develop modules and the company is having difficulty getting sign-off from the BMV. There is no additional cost this year, and an upgrade to Trio Web at around $4,300 is already in the budget.

11. 17:51
    Warning light knocked down

    The solar panel powering the warning lights at the corner of Newbrook, Palmer Mill and Swamp Road was knocked down over the weekend, apparently by a vehicle that left the scene, with no police report and no one reporting it. The lights were still flashing, so either the panel is still facing up or there is battery left. Calvin will get it back up; the town has to maintain it as part of an earlier agreement.

12. 17:51
    Fire chief resignation

    Jerry (?) reported that the fire chief has resigned, leaving the position vacant, that the job description is out and that the town will take its time filling what he called a critical role. He will take the outgoing chief on temporarily for less than 10 hours a week for administrative work through the transition, covering time-sensitive emails and payroll. There will be no interim chief, because in a volunteer department everyone qualified has a day job; incident command at a call falls to the most senior officer who responds, and the chief has written to surrounding departments to alert them under the mutual aid agreements. The full-time EMS administrator remains in place Monday to Friday.

13. 17:51
    Spirit of America nomination

    Jerry (?) raised the Spirit of America award, which recognises volunteers and which the Select Board nominates for, with a deadline of June 30. He recommended Peter Lowe, who features in this year's annual report, and the board agreed to put it on the June 23 agenda.

14. 23:30
    The first meeting after town meeting

    Jerry set out what has to be dealt with on June 23: electing a chair and vice chair, the audit service presentation that has been put off twice, with Mark attending to answer questions, signing the employee handbook, and the Ag Committee coming in on its recommendation to remove building fees on greenhouses. An economic development committee also has to be formalised for a grant the town received, with George and Jerry to send a memo recommending membership, which the board stressed is a recommendation rather than a decision. Jerry will be away July 14 to 16 and so will miss the July 14 meeting.

15. 23:30
    How the June 23 meeting will open

    Because there is no chair or vice chair as of the end of town meeting, the board agreed Jerry will open the meeting, declare a quorum, lead the pledge and then run the nomination of chair and vice chair before public comment or any other business.

16. 28:50
    Board member reports: GPCOG summit

    Joe (?) reported attending the GPCOG annual summit, where the chair and vice chair are the town's delegates. Members approved a small increase in dues, which are based on population and worked out at a few cents per person. He has been on a working group on property tax relief which presented its work and will look for a sponsor in the next legislative session, and noted GPCOG now offers a facilitated goal-setting workshop, described as a half-day retreat, which the board could consider alongside its own home-grown process.

17. 28:50
    Thanks and a note on communication

    Joe (?) thanked members for their work over the year, particularly John, who joined about six months ago. He said that with town meeting approaching there is communication circulating that is not entirely factual about the board's goals and about what it has and has not voted on, and encouraged members to stay above it and remember that criticism is usually of the position rather than the person. Rebecca (?) thanked Joe for his leadership in her first year on the board and for being the board's face on social media and putting correct information out.

18. 34:10
    Upcoming meetings and town meeting dates

    Upcoming were the Planning Board on June 3 at the fire station, the Solid Waste Committee on June 8 at the Eureka Center, municipal and primary elections on June 9 at the Durham AmVets post from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with in-person early voting at the town office ending that Thursday, the Ag Committee on June 10 at the Eureka Center, and the annual town meeting on Saturday June 13 at Durham Community School. Members noted that because the meeting moved a month later, Girl Scout cookies will not be sold at town meeting this year, though the ladies auxiliary will be there with food.

19. 34:10
    Tribute to the fire chief

    Before adjourning, Joe (?) publicly thanked Chief Tripp for five years of service and for staying on to help with town meeting and administration. He described the cultural change at the fire department under him, his combination of technical and institutional knowledge with what he called emotional intelligence, the grant money and savings he brought in, and the department's standing among surrounding communities, including full-time departments, which he said underpins the mutual aid support Durham receives. He noted the chief had made clear he wanted no formal send-off.

What was decided

• 1:55
  Remove the executive session from the agendapassed
• 1:55
  Approve the town meeting warrant articles as submitted, moved by Josh and seconded by Rebeccapassed
• 12:39
  Agreed, without a vote, to move the podium at town meeting so speakers face the community, to leave the Select Board and Budget Committee tables where they are, to check with the moderator for any rule against it, and to ask both boards to speak from their seatspassed
• 12:39
  Agreed to recognise the scholarship recipients verbally at town meeting and invite them to a future Select Board meeting, since they cannot attendpassed
• 17:51
  Hold the Spirit of America nomination over to the June 23 meeting, ahead of the June 30 deadlinetabled
• 23:30
  Agreed the town manager will open the June 23 meeting, declare a quorum and run the election of chair and vice chair before any other businesspassed
• 34:10
  Adjournpassed

An outcome reads "unclear" where the recording does not state it plainly. The recogniser drops short words, and "the motion does not carry" is one missing word from its opposite.

Worth knowing

• 17:51
  Dispatch services rise 42% next year, from $24,913 to $35,471, payable September 27. That falls in next year's budget rather than the one going to town meeting, and the dispatch line will be higher still because other dispatch services sit in it. The police chief has indicated there may be a less expensive option.
• 17:51
  The fire chief has resigned and the post is vacant. There will be no interim chief, because in a volunteer department everyone qualified has a day job; incident command at a call will fall to the most senior officer who responds, and surrounding departments have been alerted under the mutual aid agreements. The outgoing chief will stay on temporarily for under 10 hours a week of administrative work.
• 17:51
  The baseball batting cage cost $18,400 in total. The town paid the $8,000 the board had agreed and donations covered the rest.
• 34:10
  Municipal and primary elections are June 9 at the Durham AmVets post, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with in-person early voting at the town office ending that Thursday. The annual town meeting is Saturday June 13 at Durham Community School.

Motion language found in the transcript

Located by pattern matching, with no model involved: "I move that", "I'll second", "all those in favour". This is an independent check on the summary above: 3 passages of motion language, against 7 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

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