Date: October 11, 2001; 6:30 p.m.

Place: Aldrich Library Community Meeting Room

Present: Richard Fitzgerald, Martin Provost, Larry Johnson, Carl Rogers, Alex M^cHenry, Barry Driscoll, Dawna

Attig, Debbie Martin, Dan Bellavance, Marc Bernier, Deb Sartelle, Charles Fantoni, David Delcore (Times

Argus)

The meeting was called to order at 6:31pm by Barry Driscoll, Chairman. Barry opened the meeting with the agenda:

1. Introductions
2. Acceptance of Minutes
3. Discussion and Adoption of Criteria to be Used in Program Reviews
4. Discussion and Adoption of the Sequence for the Program Reviews
5. Committee Assignments

1. Introductions

We went around the table with introductions, including a guest from the Times Argus, David Delcore. There were a few members out due to prior commitments.

Barry said that he did call the Superintendent of Schools, Dorothy Anderson. She did not return his call. He will send her a letter. Barry asked if there were any questions or amendments to the minutes. There were none. There was a motion to accept the mintues. The motion was seconded and there was no further discussion. A vote was taken: all ayes, no nays. The motion was carried.

4 The minutes of 9/13/01 were accepted.

Last meeting Wayne Pelkey gave an outline of the municipality services. Over the last month people were to send to Dawna their questions to ask the different program directors and where they wanted to start. Dawna reported that she only received questions from a few people. Alex McHenry said that the question list was just a beginning. The discussion then went to the unions and that we ought to be briefed on them and what their part is. There was a discussion to bring them in.

Marc Bernier was afraid that we might overwhelm them with the questions. Barry suggested that we send them a list of questions beforehand. Alex McHenry made the poing that we will probably only have one hour with the people. So, we will have to prioritize. But priority questions may be different for each group. Also, have the departments flesh out answers to Wayne’s questions.

• By Consensus, it was agreed to use Wayne’s questions as a guideline.

We then went on to discuss the rest of the questions. Some wanted to know how performance questions would help us. Performance questions allow us to see what practices are good, bad or neutral. There may be a situation in which the same department in each municipality has divergent measurements of success.

As we went through the questions, they appeared to get further and further away from our objective. They seemed to revolve around the management of the departments instead of the operation and are they operating well. Our focus is not whether the department head does a good job, but whether two departments would benefit if they were merged. Our goal is not to put anyone on the defensive. Goal is to see if they will operate well together. Larry Johnson asked if we had a written goal for the committee, a mission statement. Barry said he will go back to see how it was defined in July and also how it was defined on the ballot. This would be a good opening.

The suggestion was to come of five general questions. Then with in the subcommittees we can expand. The 5 general topics:

1. Budget questions;
2. Operational questions;
3. Performance measurements;
4. Opportunity for cost savings; and
5. What can we do together to benefit both.

The Unions came up again. It is important to understand the Unions and how they operate. Unions would be an obstacle. Need to respect the fact that there are Unions, but we are not going to address them now.

4 We have consensus on the five general topics and to not address unions.

Barry’s suggestion was to begin with administration followed by water/sewer. It would be easier to start with Administration. Then present Administration in November. As a question of mechanics, should we go ask questions, then have presentation with interviewees. Or, should we break up into our groups, go ask questions and assemble, make a written report to the committee, go ask follow-up questions (if any), then have presentation. Subcommittees should meet ongoing.

4 The second method was chosen.

We split Wayne’s outline into six groups:

There were only a few comments. Dan Bellavance felt that it was an excellent meeting. Dawna Attig said she really needs a tape recorder.

Next meeting is November 8.