Brentwood — The Brentwood Town Select Board met for a short public session and approved its consent agenda, heard a public comment about the budget and staffing, agreed to let a member participate remotely and voted to enter nonpublic session for a hiring matter.

The board approved the consent agenda with one abstention after the chair moved the item and John seconded. During the roll-call vote, John voted "Aye," Andy abstained, Lehi voted "Aye," Paul voted "Aye," and the chair voted "Aye." The chair said allowing Andy to participate remotely meant subsequent votes must be taken by roll call.

Resident Liz Faria of South Road used the public-comment period to ask about payroll and the town budget and urged the board to return any unreserved fund balance to taxpayers this year. "I would like to strongly suggest that any unreserved fund balance in any line in the budget return to the taxpayers this year," Faria said. The chair replied that the board will conduct an in‑depth, line‑by‑line budget review on Jan. 7 and noted the current approved budget figure is about 12.08 percent.

Board members and staff clarified staffing levels raised during public comment: the town has four authorized full‑time firefighter/EMS positions, of which two are currently filled, and two of those positions are proposed (if approved by voters) to be reclassified into lieutenant roles; the town also described a plan for a deputy to replace the chief upon retirement. Payroll for the period ending Dec. 28 was read as $21,815 and accounts payable were announced as $2,596,180.

The chair moved to enter nonpublic session "for 91 a to b hiring," which was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote. John, Paul, Lettie, Andy and the chair voted "Aye," and the board recessed into nonpublic at 12:13 p.m. The chair said the nonpublic session should be brief and staff handled closing logistics, including turning off the live stream.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda: approved. Roll-call votes recorded as John: Aye; Andy: Abstain; Lehi: Aye; Paul: Aye; Chair: Aye.
- Motion to enter nonpublic session under "91 a to b" (hiring): approved by roll call (John: Aye; Paul: Aye; Lettie: Aye; Andy: Aye; Chair: Aye).

The public portion of the meeting concluded when the board entered nonpublic session to discuss hiring. No other formal actions or ordinance votes were taken during the public session.