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Select Board discusses administrative priorities: town administrator, public engagement, broadcasting and operational calendars
Summary
Board members reviewed a list of administrative priorities including pursuing a town administrator/town manager role, standardizing department-head reporting, piloting public outreach events, restoring broadcast sound for Channel 21 and creating a Select Board calendar of recurring deadlines.
During a broad new-business discussion on April 14 the Kingston Select Board mapped several administrative priorities and next steps, including exploring a town administrator position, standardizing department-head reports, piloting public outreach sessions and fixing the town’s broadcast sound system.
Board members said a professional town administrator remains a long-term need and discussed preparing for eventual hiring by documenting current department tasks and building an organizational chart so the board can identify responsibilities that would shift to an administrator. Members agreed the town should budget for such a position when feasible. The board also supported standardizing department-head reports so the public and board can see regular, comparable metrics (for example, permits issued, service requests or response counts).
On public engagement the board discussed trialing informal “coffee with the Select Board” or outreach meetings at community centers to increase participation, and asked a board member to contact a local senior community about hosting a session. The board also asked staff to investigate restoring sound and broadcast capability for Channel 21 and assigned outreach on online meeting/comment options to explore whether the town can accept moderated questions during meetings. Finally, the board asked staff to draft a shared calendar of recurring deadlines and administrative tasks so members and staff can anticipate budget and contract dates.
No formal votes were required for these discussion items; the board directed staff and liaisons to begin follow-up work and report back at future meetings.
