Important Dates:

• Filing Period: January 24, 2024, through February 02, 2024, at the Town Clerk’s Office, 33 Geremonty Drive.
• Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Town Meeting – First Deliberative Session: February 17, 2024, at SHS – 9:00 AM.
• Election: March 12, 2024. Polls open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM at 5 polling places.

Town Positions Descriptions

Town Council

Duties of Position: A Town Councilor is elected by the voters from at-large in the town. Acting as a member of the town council, the council would exercise the powers and duties conferred on select board members, city councils and boards of aldermen. The town council is also empowered to address all matters that general law requires to be addressed at the annual or a special meeting of a town, except the approval of the annual budget or the approval of general obligation bonds. This includes proposing and adopting general ordinances and setting general policies for the Town. The town council also appoints the chief executive officer of the town, the town manager.

Responsibilities: Attend public meetings of the town council minimally twice a month on Monday evenings and special meetings when scheduled; participate in town council assigned committees and provide constituent services to citizens of the community. Provide general policy guidance to the Town Manager. Become knowledgeable about all aspects of town government and the services provided to citizens of your community.

Appointing Authority: Elected by the voters.

Term of Office: Town Council Members are elected for three (3) year terms.

Time Commitment: Attend public meetings of the town council which usually occur two (2) times per month. Attend other meetings and assignments to provide liaison to other committees, commissions, and boards of the town, including visiting town departments with the Town Manager.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in town and are registered voters. A prior interest in all aspects of local town government, including but not limited to having served as an elected or appointed official on another town board or body.

Support Provided: The Town Manager and staff provide Town Councilors with information and recommendations for policies. The town pays for attendance at training programs provided by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.

Planning Board

Duties of Position: The Planning Board approves subdivisions of land and site plan approvals for multi-family, commercial and industrial uses of land. The board oversees the writing and updating of the municipality’s master plan and proposes zoning amendments and holds public hearings about those amendments before approval by town council. The board may also grant certain zoning permissions under Innovative Land Use Controls.

Responsibilities: Attend planning board meetings, develop an understanding of local land use regulations.

Appointing Authority: Elected by the voters.

Length of Appointment:  Planning Board Members are elected for three (3) year terms.

Time Commitment: Attend regular monthly meetings of the Planning Board and undertake other duties that are assigned by the Board.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town or city. Prior interest in and knowledge about land use planning and regulation preferred but not required.

Support Provided: The Planning Director provides guidance and recommendations for members. The town pays for training programs provided by the New Hampshire Municipal Association and the NH Office of Planning & Development.

Budget Committee

Duties of Position: The purpose of an official municipal budget committee is to examine the expenditures of the various town departments and recommend the annual operating budget. The budget committee confers with the Town Council, Town Manager and department heads relative to estimated costs, revenues anticipated, and services performed to the extent deemed necessary by the budget committee. The budget committee conducts the required budget hearings on the annual operating budget.

Length of Appointment: Budget Committee members serve for three-year terms.

Time Commitment:   Attend regular meetings of the committee generally on a monthly basis. November to February, when the budget committee may meet more often.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town and who have familiarity with the general operations of the town.

Support Provided:  The Town Manager and Director of Finance provides information for the Budget Committee. Members may receive Budget Committee training by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.

Trustee of Trust Funds

Duties of Position: Trustees of Trust Funds are custodians of all municipal trust funds with limited exceptions. They have a duty to administer funds, meaning to manage, direct or superintend the affairs of the municipal trusts. They have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of municipal trusts and to exercise due care to manage the trusts in accordance with directives of the donor and the controlling statutes. Trustees must pay out trust funds to the agents designated in the trust or the officers designated by statute or the purpose of being expended for the objects of the trust. When the trustees have reason to believe that the funds will be used for an improper purpose, they are justified in withholding payment.

Responsibilities: Formally adopt an investment policy to guide all investments made by them or their agents with any trust funds in their custody. Prudently invest funds held in trust by the town. Prepare reports and audits concerning the trust funds in their custody.

Appointing Authority: Elected by the voters.

Term of Office:  Trustee of the Trust Funds are elected for three (3) year terms.

Time Commitment: Attend meetings of the Board of Trustees, devote enough time. to appropriately manage funds, which will depend largely on the number of funds held by the municipality. Prepare necessary documents for auditing and be available to administer funds when requested.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town and are registered voters. They should have an accounting, banking or finance background and prior interest in municipal operations.

Support Provided: The Finance Director assists the Trustees in their duties. The town will pay for attendance at training programs provided by the New Hampshire Municipal Association and can reach out to the Charitable Trusts Unit of the NH Department of Justice.

Supervisor of the Checklist

Duties of Position: The supervisors of the checklist give careful consideration of each voter registration form that is submitted to them, allowing only those who are qualified to vote on the checklist of registered voters. Supervisors help to assure the integrity of the election process in our municipalities. Supervisors must meet to accept applications and update and correct the checklist. They also must post the checklist before elections.

Responsibilities: The Supervisors of the Checklist are required to attend all Town Meetings and Deliberative Sessions where voting occurs.  At the polls, on Election Day they must maintain neutral opinions and confidentiality regarding voting issues.  They are required to maintain the State of New Hampshire Electronic voter registration database, adding new voter registrations or maintaining current voter records.  The task of maintaining this database requires many hours of work (from home) depending on the Election.  After each Election the Supervisors scan barcodes on the checklist to update voter election history and reconcile results.  Other tasks done by the Supervisors include posting meeting notices, attend State of New Hampshire scheduled work sessions prior to each election in order to approve/remove voters from the checklist, attend State trainings and maintain paper files of current and terminated voters at Town Hall.

Appointing Authority: Elected by the voters.

Term of Office:  Supervisors of the Checklist are elected for six (6) year term.

Time Commitment: Attend necessary meetings leading up to elections to prepare the checklist and attend all elections. Entering and maintaining the voter checklist after each election.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town and are registered voters.

Support Provided: The town will pay for attendance at training programs provided by the State of New Hampshire Elections Division.

Moderator

Duties of Position: The Moderator has the duty to preside at the town deliberative session, decide questions of order and make a public declaration of every vote passed. The moderator may prescribe rules of procedure for the town deliberative session. The moderator oversees the election process from start to finish for all Town, State and Federal Elections and must file a certification of election with the town clerk upon completion of the election that indicates the number of votes received by each candidate.

Responsibilities: Preside over town deliberative session and town and state elections. Set appropriate rules of procedure, ensure compliance with the election procedure manual and other election laws.

Appointing Authority: The Moderator is elected every even-numbered year.

Length of Appointment: The moderator is elected for a 2-year term.

Time Commitment: Be available to serve on election day in a town, or state election, and to preside at town deliberative session in late January early February.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town or city.

Support Provided: Moderator training by the town or the NH Secretary of State. Attend training provided by the New Hampshire Municipal Association and New Hampshire Elections Division.

Library Trustee

Duties of Position: Acting through the board of library trustees, have custody of and manage all property dedicated to library purposes; adopt bylaws for government of the library; prepare an annual budget and expend all monies appropriated for library purposes; appoint a librarian and all other library employees and set their compensation and other terms of employment.

Responsibilities: Acting through the board of library trustees manage all aspects of municipal library operations.

Appointing Authority: Elected by the voters.

Length of Appointment: LibraryTrustees are elected for three (3) year terms.

Time Commitment: Attend regular monthly meetings of the Board of Library Trustees and undertake such other duties that are assigned by the Board.

Qualifications: Eligible candidates include adults over the age of 18 who are U.S. Citizens and who reside in the town or city. Prior interest in and knowledge about public libraries preferred but not required.

Support Provided: The town may pay for membership in and attendance at training programs provided by the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association.