TOWN OF BRADFORD
SELECTMEN’S MEETING
JANUARY 3, 2011
10:00AM
Present:
Harry Wright, Cheryl Behr, Administrator, Ellen Brownson, Advisory Board, Community Center, LSVNA, representing Health and Human Services, James Valiquet, Chief of Police, Trudy Willett, Marge Cilley, Secretary were present at this morning’s meeting at 10:00am.
Ellen Brownson advised there has been a lot of questions come up over the past several weeks in terms of the Director’s Position at the Community Center. As an advisory, there is a feeling that they very much want to create a Warrant petition and Warrant Article that would propose the town to consider re-stating the Director’s position to full time. One of the questions asked is: What is the deadline to be very specific for that Warrant Article, to which Cheryl Behr advised, February 1, 2011 by 5:00pm. it needs to be delivered to the Town Clerk and confirmed by the Town Clerk. This means the Town Clerk does need to confirm the minimum of 25 signatures are those of registered voters of the town. It was also advised that if they are presented prior to that date and there is time, the Warrant Article would go to Town Council to review the wording. The wording will not be changed, but if not worded properly, it would come back and new signatures would have to be obtained.
Ellen Brownson requested the current part time job description as well as job descriptions prior to 2007 for comparison, along with the full time job descriptions. Cheryl Behr, Administrator advised she will get these e-mailed to Ellen, who gave her address to Cheryl. It was stated that in 2007 at Town Meeting it was voted to combine the two positions, Community Center and Parks and Rec under one Director. Prior to 2007, the Director’s hours were 20 hours per week.
The current director’s salary and benefit package as a full time employee was broken down and discussed. Ellen Brownson questioned what the Advisory Board could do to support the Community Center if with a full or part time director. Harry Wright advised that rather than using 40 minutes as listed as a time frame for getting mail, the post office box will be closed and the mail picked up by the Selectmen’s Office, as they already go there. Ellen suggested part of the process should be that the town’s people should be kept informed. Ellen also questioned who would be looking out for programming? Cheryl Behr, Administrator advised on the list that was given to the Selectmen regarding hours for each duty, this was listed as not having enough time to accomplish currently. Current hours for the part time director are 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Other topics of conversation included Grant procurement, advertising of the availability of the Community Center as well as whatever is going on there at any given time. Also the need for volunteers and where to let people know they are needed.
Cheryl Behr, Administrator advised an updated contact person list does need to be done.
Discussion ensued regarding the CAP and Pre-School activities at the Community Center which appear to be working well.
Trudy Willett advised that unfortunately people are not understanding the monetary position of the Director’s position. They are talking about a person, not position. This has nothing to do with a person, but position and monetary value put on it. People do need to know who does this and who does that and need to know when they are voting, that they are voting out of their pocket.
James Valiquet, Police Chief suggested that the BACC could perhaps set up sub-committees within their committee for ideas for a wider usage of the building. Also the BACC could review who pays how much for which space and time frame. A policy for usage and payment should be set up. Ellen Brownson suggested that an application to use the facility could be put on line with a complete application form available.
Meeting adjourned 11:20am.
Respectfully submitted
Marjorie R. Cilley
Secretary