Board of Selectmen

Virginia McIntyre, Chair
Anne D. Shapiro
Philip H. Benincasa
Margaret B. Briggs
Gregory P Howes

General Business

The Board of Selectmen is the elected board responsible for the development and implementation of Town policy. It performs these functions by making recommendations to Town Meeting, implementing the decisions of Town Meeting, managing the bylaws and budget of the Town, monitoring and evaluating the annual goals and objectives of the Town Manager, making appointments to a variety of Town boards, committees and task forces, guiding the development and evaluating the performance of the Town's operating and capital budget, and acting as the authority for the granting of numerous licenses. The Board of Selectmen further represents the Town in a variety of roles with federal, State, regional and other local government agencies.

The Board of Selectmen meets regularly on Monday evenings to conduct the business of the Town. The Board uses a consent calendar to streamline routine and non-controversial matters such as gift acceptances and special licenses to increase the time available for substantive discussion. Recognizing the importance of citizen communication with the Board, the Board schedules citizen comment early on in the evening's agenda as well as at the end of each meeting. Meetings are open to all interested citizens and are broadcast on cable television's community channel as well as reported by the Concord Journal.

In addition to its regularly scheduled meetings, the Board of Selectmen met in the fall with the School Committees and the Finance Committee as well as the Carlisle Selectmen and Finance Committee in a joint coordination meeting to discuss budget issues. The Board also hosted the Annual Town Meeting Coordination Meeting in December to preview warrant articles expected to be submitted by committees and by citizen petition. The Board called the 2006 Annual Town Meeting, which was followed by a special ballot election on June 6, 2006. In addition, the chair of the Board of Selectmen conducted monthly breakfast meetings with the chairs of the other Town boards and committees to keep all informed of the many diverse functions of Town government. Monthly chair breakfasts of the Selectmen, Finance and School Committees of Concord and Carlisle have recently resumed as the two towns coordinate plans for high school operations and capital projects. Board members served as liaisons to appointed Town committees, boards, and task forces, and represented the Town on regional groups.

The Board of Selectmen