Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Company And Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board weighs water company purchase planning, TIF savings and governance committee formation
Summary
Select Board discussed next steps for a potential town purchase of the private water company, use of TIF savings, grant prospects and the formation of committees to study governance changes and volunteer recruitment.
Select Board members reviewed follow-up steps from the recent town meeting, including planning for a possible town purchase of the local water company and formation of committees to address governance and volunteer recruitment.
Board members said Underwood Engineering and USDA have been notified that the town will not apply for a USDA loan this cycle; the board discussed preparing to be ready to apply in two years if the opportunity recurs. Dan Brown and Underwood Engineering were referenced as having been informed. The board also agreed that the town’s TIF (tax increment financing) district remains in place and is being used to save funds toward possible future action.
Members discussed funding options and noted the town lost a previously available forgivable component (the transcript references “the 6.4 — 40 percent forgivable” funding, which the board said is no longer available). The board discussed using regional and federal contacts — including Senator Jean Shaheen’s staff, the Northern Borders program and connections at the Monadnock/Adnock economic development organizations — to pursue available funding sources.
On governance, the board supported creating a citizen committee to research overall town governance (options mentioned included a charter or returning to a town meeting format). That proposed governance committee would be given a charge and operating guidelines, and would return recommendations to the board. Board members also discussed a volunteer sign-up sheet at town hall and online outreach through the town newsletter (Uncovered Swansea) to recruit committee members.
No formal vote was recorded to initiate the governance committee; the board directed staff to assemble names and outreach materials and to return with a proposed membership list.
