Moderator John Arnold urges more outreach, onboarding and earlier budget goals after town meeting

John Arnold, the town moderator, presented findings from individual follow‑up conversations with Advisory Finance Committee members after the annual town meeting. He said voters and committee members generally praised the committee’s conduct but suggested improvements to make the committee more effective and to increase voter understanding of warrant articles before town meeting.

Arnold recommended several practical steps: create brief onboarding or mentorship for new members; consider rotating seating to encourage broader informal conversations among members; set committee goals earlier in the year so members and staff know what questions the committee will prioritize; provide clearer decision‑making criteria for large projects; and expand outreach (QR codes, a tinyURL in tax bills or other mailings) so more voters can access background materials before town meeting. “If we could harness the attention that citizen petitions created this year, that would help,” Arnold said.

Committee members discussed feasibility and timing; some suggested an early summer meeting to set objectives before the town manager’s budget recommendations and to coordinate with the school department’s incoming leadership. Arnold also proposed the committee could help define or review dashboard metrics and ask staff for consistent data inputs.

What happens next: The committee agreed to consider onboarding, goal‑setting, and outreach items in upcoming meetings and to coordinate with the select board, town manager and relevant department staff where appropriate.