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Gilmanton CIP committee raises alarm over lack of notice after projects proceed without committee input
Summary
Member Kevin Crowley told the committee that several capital projects and procurements proceeded or appeared in public records without CIP notification — including a DPW generator installation and a fuel-tank RFP — prompting the committee to seek clarification from the Town Administrator and the Select Board.
At the April 28 meeting of the Gilmanton Capital Improvement Program Committee, Member Kevin Crowley said the committee has repeatedly been left out of capital-related decisions and discussions, citing recent instances where projects or procurement activity surfaced without prior committee notification. "We discovered an active RFP for new fuel tanks via Board of Selectmen notes rather than direct reporting," Crowley said, and added that a generator was installed at the Department of Public Works without committee notice. He characterized the pattern as a "cat-and-mouse" dynamic that impedes the committee's planning role.
Vice Chair Colleen Harkey told the committee she objected strongly to a Select Board directive that the CIP be "self-sufficient" and take its own minutes to avoid burdening the town office. Committee members contrasted that instruction with the 2024 warrant-article discussion explaining office-hour changes, which had been justified to give staff "quiet time" to prepare minutes. Harkey said the discrepancy needs clarification.
Chairman Cathy Bowler directed Anne Kirby, the Budget Committee representative, to ask the Town Administrator whether the town office can continue to produce CIP minutes. Bowler also said she will ask the Town Administrator to distribute the updated spreadsheet and the policy memo prior to the next meeting. The committee did not take any formal disciplinary action at the session; instead members recorded an action item for Kirby to seek clarification and a general request that materials be shared in advance.
The committee recorded specific examples Crowley used to illustrate his concern: Select Board discussions on ambulance chassis versus modules were not shared with the committee; a warrant article for a new transfer-station truck appeared without department request; and project approvals have sometimes moved forward without CIP follow-up. Those examples were presented as evidence of inconsistent data sharing rather than as formal charges requiring an immediate vote.
Next steps listed in the meeting minutes include Kirby seeking clarification from the Town Administrator about minute production and Bowler requesting broader distribution of CIP materials. The committee will revisit the issue at its next scheduled meeting.
