Select Board approves committee appointments, backs codifying remote meetings and schedules June town meeting start

The Town of Concord Select Board voted unanimously Monday to approve a group of appointments and reappointments to town committees, to send a legislative letter supporting bills that would codify remote participation for municipal meetings, and to set the town meeting schedule and warrant order ahead of the June annual meeting.

The board confirmed a set of appointments and reappointments that included full and associate members across the historical commission, library committee, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission, Concord Housing Development Corporation, Board of Assessors and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The motion to approve the appointments and reappointments passed on a roll call vote with all members recorded as “aye.”

The board also voted to approve a legislative-letter motion urging the Legislature and governor to preserve remote and hybrid participation options for municipal meetings. Mark Powell, the town clerk, moved the motion to approve the letter, and the board carried it unanimously by roll call. Carmen Riestown, Town Moderator, joined the discussion earlier in the meeting to clarify how proposed language could affect representative and open town meetings.

On the annual town meeting schedule, the board adopted the warrant article order as presented and amended following suggestions to group school-related articles together and to swap two stormwater-related items to improve clarity for voters. The board then set the 2025 annual town meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m. on June 2 and agreed to make a preliminary motion at the start of town meeting to take no new business after 9:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday sessions.

The board also voted to bring a preliminary motion to town meeting proposing routine use of electronic voting (“clickers”) for votes on motions under warrant articles; that motion will be made at the start of town meeting after the Town Meeting Study Committee presents its report. The Select Board’s motion to bring the question forward passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance - Approve consent agenda (including acceptance of gift to the Town 250 Fund): passed (roll call tally: unanimous). - Appointments and reappointments: Motion to approve a package of appointments and reappointments (names and terms read into the record). Outcome: approved (roll call tally: unanimous). - Approve legislative letter supporting codifying remote participation: Moved by Mark Powell (Town Clerk); outcome: approved (roll call tally: unanimous). - Adopt town meeting warrant article order as presented and amended: outcome: approved (roll call tally: unanimous). - Schedule 2025 annual town meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m. on June 2 and make preliminary motion to take up no new business after 9:30 p.m.: outcome: approved (roll call tally: unanimous). - Make preliminary motion to ask town meeting to adopt a rule to use electronic voting clickers routinely for votes on motions under articles: moved on the floor by a Select Board member; outcome: approved (roll call tally: unanimous).

The board concluded its business with the usual adjournment vote.

Meeting context: The votes came as the board worked through its consent agenda and annual meeting preparations amid several citizen comments earlier in the meeting about how residents learn about and apply for committee service. Town Manager "Carrie" (title used in the meeting) and staff reported the annual town meeting warrant will be posted later in the week and that a briefing book will be mailed to households ahead of the meeting.