It’s been almost six months since I began writing these columns. As I thought about what to write tonight, I revisited why I’m doing this – what’s the purpose? My hope is that in writing every week, I can give you glimpses about your town – how our government works, the people within, activities occurring, and a variety of information in which you might be interested. A majority of the columns have come from questions people have asked during the week. If you have a topic you’d like to see addressed here, please let me
know.
This week, I thought I’d share briefly about Board of Selectmen meetings. What do happens there? Why might a citizen want to attend? How can your voice be heard?
Board of Selectmen meetings are held the first and third Thursdays of each month, at 7:00 p.m., in Town Hall. Our agendas are posted on the website (www.colchesterct.gov) and in the Town Clerk’s office at least 24-hours in advance; we are working towards a 72-hour advance to give you time to make arrangements to attend if there is something of interest to you on the agenda.
The agenda is pretty standard each week – call to order, additions to the agenda, approve minutes. After that is a time for citizen comments, where we listen to what you have to say. It might be about something on the agenda to come, an issue we’ve not yet addressed and you’d like to bring to our attention, or something the Town has done that you like. This is your time to address the Board as a whole. We then go on to interview applicants interested in any open positions on boards or commissions, handle budget transfers to go to the Board of Finance, and address tax refunds and rebates as requested by the Tax Collector. Next are the business items, followed by another time for citizens’ comments, the First Selectman’s report, reports of the selectmen regarding the boards,
commissions, and task forces to which they are liaisons, executive session if needed, and adjournment. You can come to all of the meeting or any part of the meeting in which you’re interested – it’s okay to not stay for the whole meeting! Can’t make the meeting? Email your comments before noon that day and they’ll be included.
What kinds of business do we discuss? Like our agendas, our minutes can be found on the website. But to give an example of one week’s topics, this past week the Board of Selectmen
§ Discussed Cragin Memorial Library’s hours of operation. The question – should the Library close one hour earlier on week nights, a total of four hours, to open the library earlier and stay later on two other days? The result – more information is needed about use of specific areas of the library those evenings before being able to make that decision.
§ Approved sending a recommendation to the Board of Finance to purchase a waste oil burning furnace to replace the one that is completely out of service at the Fleet Maintenance garage.
§ Discussed the creation of a Senior Operator position for the Water Department. It was held for the next meeting as more information is needed.
§ Promoted the Assistant to the Tax Collector to Assistant Tax Collector upon completion of her coursework and passing the state exam.
§ Approved a Request for Quote for the White Oaks Trail.
§ Approved the Town Clerk to apply for a Historic Documents Preservation Grant.
§ Approved that the Town move forward to work with a variety of organizations to obtain certification of the Town of Colchester as a community wildlife habitat.
§ Discussed the Cody Camp project and approved requirements to move forward.
§ Discussed the Town’s capital improvement needs.
This week was a fairly light week and the topics always change. I promise – in the course of the year we will have something of interest to you! I urge you to let us know what you think. It’s important.
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