Wells selectmen adopt updates to personnel policy and employee handbook

The Wells Board of Selectmen closed a public hearing on proposed amendments to Chapter 49 of the town code and voted to approve the ordinance amendments as presented. The hearing drew no public comment.

Leah (staff) told the board that the changes largely move substantive procedures into an employee handbook to allow faster administrative updates as employment law and procedures change. "Those strikeouts are in most instances going to be housed in the personnel policy," she said, adding that Employment Counsel and town staff incorporated prior suggestions and that the document on the table represents a final draft with minor non-substantive edits.

Selectmen then separately moved to adopt the employee handbook itself. A motion to adopt passed unanimously. Board members praised the handbook's clarity and thanked staff for the work; one member described the manual as "top drawer." The chair directed that the handbook be posted online following adoption.

The ordinance amendment and handbook adoption are administrative actions intended to consolidate and modernize personnel rules while keeping the town's policy on the public record as an ordinance. Town staff said only minor, non-substantive tweaks remained possible before final publication.