The meeting opened with attention on the development of the Barosa Farm and Clearway projects. These initiatives are poised to be presented at the town meeting.

Following this, the Board of Selectmen engaged in a comprehensive evaluation of the town assessor’s office. The assessors’ performance was scrutinized through a combined scoring system derived from individual assessments by board members. Nevertheless, there was a consensus that there were areas needing improvement, particularly in the management of the office. There was an acknowledgment that the responsibility for these improvements falls primarily upon the department’s leader. The board collectively agreed on the necessity for enhancement within the office, finalizing their discussion by signing off on the assessment report.

A separate discussion ensued regarding the handling of various administrative duties within the assessor’s office. This segment of the meeting revolved around the routine yet essential task of reviewing and signing various invoices and abatements. These included motor vehicles, sewer enterprise commitments, and real estate and personal property taxes. A challenging moment arose when the board faced a large inventory change, which caused some confusion and prompted a discussion on how to navigate the abatement process effectively.

The board also announced an upcoming budget meeting.

Concluding the meeting, the board made a motion to move into executive session. The purpose of this private session was to review and discuss applications for the fiscal year 2024.