Belmont Selectboard cancels Tuesday meeting, citing nothing on agenda

BELMONT — No news is often good news, as is the case with a Tuesday selectboard meeting cancellation, due to a lack of items on the agenda.

Town Administrator Alicia Jipson said the decision to cancel was made public last Friday. It was posted in several locations.

“We post on our town website, post office and outside info box at [Town Hall] when there is no meeting to be held, but we are not required by law to do so,” she wrote in an email. “While the ‘next meeting date’ is noted at each meeting, there are times when there are no agenda items for discussion as of the expected next meeting date. Meetings are only scheduled and noticed by the posting of an agenda when board members or town staff have items to discuss.”

When Jipson is corralling agenda items, and there are none, she goes right to the selectboard.

“When there are no items presented for discussion, the town administrator recommends to the board of selectmen and confirms with the chairman and the rest of the board that no meeting agenda should be posted,” she wrote.

It’s not uncommon this time of year for action items to be sparse, said Travis O’Hara, selectboard member.

“Alicia works with department heads to add items to our agenda; also we as selectmen add items as needed,” O’Hara said. “If she doesn’t have any updates, or new items requested from departments, selectmen, or members of the public, then we will cancel the meeting.”

The best way to stay informed is to head to the Town of Belmont website at belmontnh.gov.

“Our website has up-to-date information for residents, particularly for items that are time-sensitive. Alerts and announcements are posted on our home page, and our web calendar includes meetings and activities,” Jipson wrote. “Meeting information is also available through the home page of our website.”

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.