Recent actions of selectmen begs the question: Has the time for change come?

What is the purpose of government in a democracy? One answer is to provide services for the public which cannot be reasonably provided by individuals. Among these are protection from harm and fire, such as the police and fire departments. Other purposes are to provide education, roads, parks, and libraries, which are more efficiently provided by a municipality.

Has the time come for a change in Government in Milton?

With the recent actions of the current Board of Selectmen in Milton, has the time now come for change in leadership as well as how the town operates?

There are a few options available to the voters of Milton. Here are a few of the more popular options.

1). Changing the Town Administrator into a voted position?

This would leave the decision of the position in the voter's hands.

2). Explore changing the position to a Town Manager?

The position has more authority, and it is chosen by the Board of Selectmen.

3). We have another option on the ballot for Selectman besides the incumbent.

Change the Board of Selectmen to a 5 member board.

4). Leave things as they are.

Options 1, 2 and 3 need more research and would need to be voted on. They would take an informational campaign as well. A warrant article as well. They also change the government structure.

Option #4 is Business as usual.

It is difficult for any Board of Selectmen to operate efficiently and effectively without the assistance of capable administrators as well as an intelligent and articulate, educated and informed office staff. Selectmen are called upon to make decisions as they manage the affairs of the Town of Milton, and to do so should they turn to Town Managers and Town Administrators to assist them?

Is there any difference between the town manager and the town administrator in the area of hiring and termination?

Yes. The statutes require that the town manager be selected by the selectmen "with special reference to their education, training, and experience to perform the duties of the office [.]" As discussed earlier, there is no statutory provision for a town administrator, or other administrative positions, so the selectmen may hire personnel with whatever qualifications they feel necessary. They may hire a person with no experience at all and allow the person to "learn on the job." This is not the case with the town manager position, which must be selected based on experience and training to perform the job. In the case of termination, a town manager may be removed by the selectman at any time "for cause." This is in contrast to a town administrator, who is an employee "at will" and who may be removed without notice or cause. An important caveat: while New Hampshire is an "at will" state, employment contracts and personnel policies often contain provisions that require the employer to take certain steps before terminating an employee.

Les Elder is a longtime resident of Milton and has served on several town boards.