Milford Board of Selectmen: votes and assignments ahead of Feb. 1 deliberative session

The Milford Board of Selectmen took a series of votes on Jan. 13 while preparing for the town’s Feb. 1 deliberative session. The board approved routine items, extended the auditor engagement for the 2024 financial audit only, and recorded support or opposition and majority/minority report assignments for many warrant articles that will go to voters.

Key formal votes recorded at the Jan. 13 meeting

- Consent calendar (formal notification of deliberative and election posting): Motion to accept the consent calendar carried. (Motion and second recorded; voice vote; tally not specified on record.)

- Auditor engagement for 2024 financial audit only: The board approved retaining the current audit firm for the Town’s 2024 financial audit only. Motion moved by Selectman Darje, seconded by Selectman Philbrick; motion passed 4–1 with Selectman Labonte opposed. Town Finance Director Troy Knapp had recommended the single-year extension to avoid disruption while staff complete audit preparation after earlier staffing turnover.

- Fire staffing warrant (Article 11): The board recorded a 4–1 vote in favor of adding three full‑time firefighters (six months funding in 2025; longer term cost estimates provided); Selectman Labonte recorded the minority report.

- Ambulance replacement revolving fund (Article 12): The board recorded a 4–1 result on the article establishing a revolving fund for ambulance replacement; majority/minority authors were assigned. The hearing included extended discussion of how the revolving fund interacts with the existing ambulance capital reserve and of the projected $140,000 annual deposit used in presentations.

- Keys Park / tennis courts (Articles 14 and petition 24): The board placed $60,000 in a capital reserve for Keys Park expansion (Article 14), with a recorded board vote of 4–1. A petitioned warrant article asking for $60,000 specifically for the Malcolm Ellingwood Rotch tennis courts (Article 24) was supported by a separate board motion, with a 3–2 vote in favor of the petitioned article; selectmen discussed coordination so both items would not conflict on the ballot and noted petition‑vote deadlines and possible amendments at the deliberative session.

- Petitioned Keys Pool repairs (Article 23): The board voted 3–2 to place the petitioned article on the warrant (the article asked voters to appropriate $89,000 for necessary safety repairs to the Keys Pool); board members said they would work with the petitioner to clarify or narrow language at the deliberative session.

How the board handled other warrant items

Selectmen assigned majority and minority authorship for many warrant articles (library restroom project, bridge and road projects, police radios, IT reserve, summer band concerts, parades, conservation, and others) and asked staff to supply updated tax‑impact or fund balance figures for several capital‑reserve items. Several warrant items were discussed but not subject to a final board vote at the Jan. 13 meeting; in those cases the board assigned who will prepare the majority and minority reports for presentation at the deliberative session.

Process notes

- The board emphasized that some state or federal grants have timing windows and that bond or borrowing votes (for example certain bridge and water utility bond items) carry specific statutory thresholds and requirements (3/5 ballot approval for certain borrowing). Town counsel, the finance director and the town administrator participated in clarifying legal and budgetary implications during the hearing.

The board will finalize language and majority/minority writeups and expects to post warrant materials for voters ahead of the deliberative session on Feb. 1.