The board’s meeting on May 7th, 2024, spanned a range of issues, with the memorial funding taking a central focus. Floyd’s plea to the board highlighted the community’s desire to see the memorial restored, a sentiment that ultimately led to the board’s approval of the necessary funds. The significance of this resolution lies not only in fulfilling a long-standing commitment but also in providing closure to a chapter of collective mourning for the community.

In addition to addressing the memorial, the board considered the nomination of Sabina McCarthy for the position of town clerk. McCarthy’s nomination was part of the meeting’s agenda on appointments, which also included the approval of a Democratic representative to fill a vacancy on the board of register offers.

The board proceeded to handle administrative tasks such as approving Personnel Change Forms (PCFs) for new hires, a resignation within the fire department, and a temporary increase in work hours for a position at the Council on Aging. The ratification of prior actions saw the acceptance of resignations from the treasurer collector and administrative assistant. Furthermore, the board approved a temporary and emergency appointment for the treasurer collector department not to exceed 12 weeks and finalized a contract for the fire chief.

Another topic of substantial importance was the discussion on the allocation of free cash certification. The board debated how to distribute the town’s financial surplus, which is guided by a policy suggesting that 30% goes to operational costs, 35% to capital, and 10% to other post-employment benefits. The remaining 25%, initially undesignated, became the subject of discussion. Some members were concerned about ensuring sufficient funds for operational stabilization, but the proposal to allocate the full 25% to the capital stabilization fund prevailed.

In preparation for the upcoming town meeting, the board also allocated speaking roles among its members. Specific articles on the agenda, such as the budget, zoning, and general bylaw board of registers, were assigned to different members who will speak to these subjects during the town meeting.

The meeting also touched upon organizational matters like the scheduling of future board meetings and the planning of speaking roles for the upcoming town meeting. The board assigned various items on the agenda to different members who will present and discuss them at the town meeting.