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Select Board signs warrants, considers chair lending policy and pauses planning restructure idea
Summary
At the June 2 meeting the board approved payroll and accounts payable warrants, directed staff to develop a policy and waiver process for lending folding chairs, approved early closing of the town clerk's office for fiscal year‑end, and paused a proposed planning‑department job split that would convert a full‑time position into two part‑time roles.
The Berwick Select Board on June 2 approved payroll and accounts payable warrants, discussed a resident request to borrow town folding chairs and paused a proposed planning‑department restructuring.
The board read payroll warrant number 113 ($100,910.70) and payroll warrant number 114 ($112.99) and reviewed accounts payable warrants 115 ($76,730.50) and 116 ($99,136.14). The transcript listed accounts payable warrant number 117 with a garbled amount ("46,5359"); that figure could not be verified from the record and should be confirmed in the official warrant documents.
Town Manager Arthur reported a resident request to borrow about 50 folding chairs for a September event. Board members asked the manager to confirm chair ownership (town versus American Legion), estimate replacement cost, and prepare a liability waiver and pickup/return procedure before approving any loan. "We'd have to have them sign a waiver," a board member said; the manager will follow up with library and other town lenders to model a process.
Staff member James presented a previously discussed plan to split a full‑time planning position into two part‑time roles to accommodate a staff member considering part‑time hours. He said the proposal would be budget‑neutral and could add cross‑coverage hours, but that the plan is paused and no personnel change will be made at this time.
The board also approved closing the town clerk's office at 3 p.m. on June 30 to permit timely fiscal‑year accounting close.
Next steps: Town staff will confirm and publish final warrant amounts, prepare a draft liabilities/waiver and a procedure for lending town folding chairs, and schedule any personnel actions publicly if the planning restructure proceeds.
