A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the highway department’s current status and future plans. The board approved a new pay scale for highway department employees, taking into account various licenses and competencies. The highway superintendent highlighted multiple ongoing projects, including road maintenance, storm damage repairs, and paving projects, while also addressing the challenges faced in hiring temporary staff due to the impact of prevailing wage laws. A discussion ensued regarding the department’s capacity to take on additional work, the need for budget clarity, and the prioritization of road projects.

Members of the board voiced concerns over the transparency and approval process for allocating funds to road projects, especially in light of the Bardwell’s Ferry Road paving. The conversation extended to the broader implications of rising material costs and procurement laws’ limitations.

The board further discussed the snow and ice budget for highway maintenance and considered the use of free cash to fund projects, weighing the possibility of using state flood damage allocations for road maintenance, especially gravel road upkeep and the rental of a grader. These budget-related dialogues underscored the ongoing effort to balance fiscal responsibility with infrastructure needs.

Regionalization emerged as another key topic, with board members discussing the advantages of pooling resources with neighboring towns. Sharing personnel and equipment was proposed as a way to address resource constraints, although the implications for the town’s identity and potential implementation challenges were also debated. The conversation also touched on the difficulty of attracting young people to small towns and resistance to changes in traditional structures, such as school consolidation.

The potential for regionalization was considered once more in the context of improving the town’s grant applications. The current grant system was described as challenging, and the idea of forming regional applications to increase grant opportunities was discussed. There was interest in appointing a dedicated individual for grant applications to streamline the process. Additionally, the board examined the town’s ability to implement local taxes, such as a hotel or meals tax, and the concept of taxing second homes to increase revenue.

Housing affordability and options for the elderly were also on the agenda, with a focus on the concept of naturally occurring retirement communities and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to address the needs of Conway’s aging population. The impact of corporations purchasing residential properties and the challenges this posed for affordability were highlighted as concerns to be addressed.

Lastly, employee benefits were a topic of discussion, with the Finance Committee considering an increase in the town’s contribution to employee insurance premiums. The exploration of this initiative was seen as part of a broader evaluation of the town’s fiscal responsibilities and priorities for the year ahead.