SKOWHEGAN — The Board of Selectmen is launching a new Coffee and Conversation session before their regular meeting once a month, inviting residents to come in, have a cup of coffee and say what’s on their mind.
The first of the session begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Coffee and Conversation sessions will be an opportunity for residents to ask questions and hear about what’s going on in a less formal setting than that of the selectmen’s meetings, Town Manager Christine Almand said Monday.
“Basically it just gives people a chance to come in and chat with the selectmen without it being in the middle of a selectmen’s meeting,” Almand said. “It’s a place for them to be available in an informal setting for people to talk to them.”
Topics for conversation can include anything on the minds of residents, from public use of fireworks, parking concerns, and with the public hearing slated to follow Tuesday night, whether to appoint or elect public officials. She said the intent is to do it the first meeting of every month. “It’s something selectmen would like to do on a regular basis,” she said. “I’m not sure what they’ll talk about, this is our first go-round with it.”
Selectwoman Darla Pickett said she and board Chairman Don Skillings have talked about holding informal sessions for some time. She said Selectwoman Betty Austin also supported the effort and agreed to make the coffee.
“The three of us thought it was a good idea to try to get more people interested in coming and hearing what’s being worked on,” Pickett said. “I’d like to see it continue.”
The regular meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., with a presentation to New Balance officials for recent public service company employees performed in town. There also will be a public hearing on proposals to ask voters in November if they want to change the positions of town clerk, town treasurer and road commissioner from elected positions to ones appointed by the town manager.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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