Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board debates whether committees should pre-screen applicants under appointment policy
Summary
The Select Board discussed proposed clarifications to Policy 001 that would standardize whether committees submit all candidate applications or only those they recommend; members favored committee preliminary screening but asked that all applications be provided to the board as public records.
The town manager opened a discussion about Select Board Policy 001, which governs appointments to town committees and commissions. He asked whether the Select Board should receive every applicant or only candidates recommended by the relevant committee.
Board members generally favored a model in which committees conduct a preliminary screening and recommend candidates, with the Select Board receiving application packets (as public records) even when a committee does not recommend an applicant. The manager said he would draft an amendment to the policy and return it for formal consideration.
Members emphasized the need to keep a standardized process and to avoid inconsistent practices across committees. The board agreed that unanimous committee rejections need not require a second interview before the Select Board, but that split recommendations or ties should be forwarded for Select Board consideration.
