Liaison Assignments & Guidelines

Select Board Liaison Guidelines

Select Board members serve as official liaisons to specific boards, committees, task forces, special project efforts, ad‐hoc groups, commissions, and more. Select Board Liaisons are not members of the groups to which they are assigned. 

Select Board Liaisons Best Practices: 

• Select Board liaisons are appointed on a rotating basis to serve as a conduit of information between a committee and the Select Board and, where appropriate, between the committee and the Town Manager.
• The role of the Select Board liaison is to facilitate communications and guide the Board or Committee accordingly, when necessary.
• Select Board Liaisons should communicate on a regular basis with the Chair of their Boards/Committees to serve as a resource if the committee has any needs, questions, or hot button issues with which they need the Select Board’s special attention or assistance, or of which the Select Board should be aware. 
• Select Board Liaisons should review the agenda and prior meeting minutes of each of their assigned Boards/Committees on a regular basis (ideally before the upcoming meeting) to keep current with the activities of their assigned committees.
• Select Board Liaisons should make an effort to occasionally attend a meeting of the relevant board or committee but are not expected to attend each meeting.
• On an annual basis, Select Board Liaisons should review the charge of the committee with the Chair, discuss if the committee is functioning effectively, and discuss the committee's work plan or upcoming objectives.
• If a Board or Committee is proposing to ask the Select Board to bring an article to a Town Meeting session, the Board or Committee Chair should work with their Select Board liaison to ensure the entire Select Board and Town Manager are informed in a timely and ongoing manner prior to voting the warrant.