Meredith Selectboard halts spending on economic development, including consultant

MEREDITH — In the minutes before the meeting closed Monday, the selectboard approved freezing funding for the economic development department, including a consultant contracted for hourly work.

With only about 11 minutes left in the 2.5-hour meeting, during selectboard comments, Mike Pelczar made a motion to freeze funding for the economic development contract. He said he wanted discussion with Town Manager Judie Milner about defining the needs of a consultant.

“Just so we can all get on the same page,” Pelczar said.

Pelczar said the motion was in light of recent leadership changes, including Chris Janosa, director of human resources and special projects, telling the board he was not the right fit to lead the planning and economic development department, after overseeing the team for six months.

Janosa told the selectboard, on June 22, he wasn’t the right head for the department, then came to the July 13 meeting with two options: designate the senior planner as town planner, or hire a planning and development director. The board opted to table the matter before discussion began.

Milner said July 13 that she hired Marketing Alliance, a consulting firm from Florida, to assist in economic development work, at a rate of $175 per hour.

Funds earmarked in the budget for economic development total $75,000.

Selectboard member Jeanie Forrester seconded Pelczar’s motion on Monday.

“I think there has been a level of frustration, because economic development is important to this board,” Forrester said. “It had been asked many times — we had wanted to know the vision before we started moving forward on any economic development. We wanted to have a more in depth discussion with the manager.”

During the town manager’s report, earlier in the meeting, Milner said a roundtable with regional and state partners was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, at the Taylor Community. The discussion, she said, is open to the public, but won’t include public participation.

“It doesn’t mean that that’s not coming,” Milner said. “Please stay tuned. I think the public focus group we are going to do will be a lot more energetic and a lot more fun to do, and for people to come and see what’s going on, and not speak in such a large group.”

Milner said she would like a focus group to take place at the Sept. 14 selectboard meeting, as well. She told the selectboard if they have questions or thoughts on what should be happening in Meredith, to keep it in mind for that date.

Forrester asked to which state partners she was referring, and Milner said Deb Avery, business resource specialist from the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, was invited, along with Steve Heavener, of the Capital Regional Development Council. Both accepted.

Also invited was the Greater Meredith Economic Development Committee, as well as representatives of large taxpayers, such as Hannaford, Rite Aid, and Ocean State Job Lot.

Forrester asked if she thought of inviting Eliza Leadbetter, an active volunteer, member of the Meredith Rotary Club and former longtime executive director of the Belknap County Economic Development Council. Milner replied she would do so.

After seconding the motion, Forrester said she thought a conversation with the board should have taken place first.

“I agree with Mike,” Forrester said. “I think it’s moving too fast. I don’t feel comfortable with the way we’re going.

"I think if we just have a pause, and have a conversation with the town manager to figure out where we’re going, I would be more comfortable.”

Selectboard member Lynn Leighton said she was “fine with that,” and they should “regroup.”

Selectboard member Jim Gregoire abstained from the vote.

The vote was 3-1, with Chair Steve Aiken voting against.

Forrester confirmed, on July 29, the vote was to stop any more economic development spending until the selectboard and town manager are on the same page, and deferred questions about the consultant's contract to Milner.

Milner wrote in an email she took the vote to mean the service contract line for the economic development, and the consultant, is frozen. She said with the consultant being on an “hourly, as needed-contact,” she was able to freeze the contract, and any additional work. She wrote the town will honor all invoices for work up to that point.

“I expect the board and I would have an open discussion about the next steps in the near future,” Milner said.