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Selectmen debate legal-directive wording, opt to use NHMA guidance for routine questions
Summary
Selectmen pulled a proposed legal directive for rewording and discussed when department heads should consult NHMA versus the town attorney; the board also considered posting a year-long schedule of regular meeting notices per NHMA guidance that state law requires at least 24 hours' notice for meetings.
Selectmen pulled a proposed legal directive from the consent agenda to rework its language and discussed guidelines for when department heads should first consult the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) instead of the town attorney.
Board members said NHMA can provide general guidance but cautioned that NHMA advice can differ from the town attorney’s position; the town attorney is the attorney who would ultimately defend the town. Members asked for directive guidelines to clarify which issues go first to NHMA and which should go directly to the town attorney to help limit higher legal costs when a matter is routine.
Separately, a town official said NHMA advised that state law requires notices be posted at least 24 hours before a meeting but does not restrict how far in advance notices may be posted. The official proposed posting a year-long schedule of the regular Selectmen meetings (first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.) on the municipal website, a permanent bulletin board and at the post office, with a plan to laminate the physical notice to reduce weathering and replace it if it disappears.
Next steps: the town administrator (or designee) will draft directive guidelines for the board’s review and will prepare the year-long public-meeting notice for the board to approve and publish.
