Town Manager reports on safety upgrades, fountain timing; board orders Colonel Town Players to clear Town Hall by July 20

Town Manager Jessica Cyr updated the Select Board July 7 on several operational items: she thanked volunteers for a successful Fourth of July parade, said the town is continuing hiring work to fill the Finance Director position, and reported engineering-firm interviews for the Summer Street project are complete and scoring rubrics are being calculated.

Cyr said contractor Barry Normandeau reported the town’s fountain will be installed later in July though a firm date was not provided. Highway Foreman Tim Brown briefed the board on a bent rim on an anti-artillery vehicle at Centennial Park; Brown described repair options and the ownership of the vehicle remains unknown.

Cyr said Fire Department member Chris Gagnon is conducting annual life-safety inspections and that an additional seven monitored fire alarms will be installed before fall to meet RSA 155 requirements. During discussion about fire load and storage in Town Hall, Selectman Leon Rideout moved — and Selectman Kathy-Jean Lavoie seconded — a motion requiring Colonel Town Players to remove all materials and equipment from all areas of the building no later than July 20; the motion carried unanimously.

Cyr also reported continued work with FEMA after staff reassignment delayed an expected reimbursement and noted a recent increase in welfare cases, largely rent and electric assistance requests.