Town representative Dennis Averton asks committee to table agenda item, cites state preservation concerns

Dennis Averton, who identified himself as representing the town council, told the committee he was surprised to find a funding request on the agenda that the town did not authorize and asked the panel to table the item.

"I was very surprised to learn about this this morning. My town council certainly didn't make this request," Averton said, adding that the town had been told by the state historic preservation office that it "does not want any disturbance there at all" and that officials refer to the location as "hallowed ground." He asked that any future requests from the town be routed through the town administrator's office and emphasized that only the town council is authorized to place such items on the committee's agenda.

Averton asked the committee to postpone action: "We would just respectfully ask that going forward, those requests come from a representative of the town," he said.

In response, a committee member said, "We apologize for this," and moved to "take hold" of the item (a motion to table). The motion was voiced on the record, but the transcript does not record a second or a vote on the motion.

The committee member who addressed Averton said the panel would ensure future requests go through the town as the chairman indicated. The record in the transcript ends with the motion made; no formal outcome or vote tally appears in the available text.

What happens next: Averton asked that the town follow standard procedure by submitting any future funding requests through the town administrator's office so the council can formally authorize them before they appear on the committee agenda.