President Blandine Shallow called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m. in the Concord offices of Plodzik and Sanderson.

Present were Blandine Shallow, CTC, President, presiding; First Vice President, Patricia Woolsey, CTC; Treasurer, Pat Milone, CTC; Secretary, Brenda LaPointe, CTC; Legislative Chairman Jill Hadaway, CTC; Director of Public Relations and Chairman of the Certification Committee Kathy Seaver, CTC; Education Committee Chairman Cheryl-Ann Bolouk, CTC, Convention Coordinator, Vikki Fogg, CDTC and Director at Large Joseph Wiggett, CTC.

Special guests in attendance were Barbara Reid, Local Government Center liaison and George West, honorary member of the NH Tax Collectors' Association.

The meeting started with noteworthy news from Patricia Woolsey that she will be leaving Bristol as of August 19 th to accept the position of Deputy Tax Collector/Treasurer for City of Concord. (Congratulations!)

The first item for consideration was the minutes from the previous Executive Board meeting. Due to an oversight by the Secretary, a final version of the minutes was not made available to Board members prior to the meeting. Since a rough draft of the minutes had been e-mailed to everyone, Brenda LaPointe verbally gave an update of the revisions and noted that the comments attributed to Joe Wiggett as the Workshop Coordinator had actually been made by Joan Porter and that the topic for presentation at the LGC Conference had not been formally approved. A motion was then made by Vikki Fogg to accept the minutes of the July 21, 2005 meeting with the revisions as stated. The motion was seconded by Pat Milone. The motion passed with Blandine Shallow, Pat Milone, Brenda LaPointe, Jill Hadaway, Kathy Seaver, Cheryl-Ann Bolouk, Vikki Fogg and Joe Wiggett all voting in favor. Patricia Woolsey abstained from the vote because she was not in attendance at the July meeting.

An Agreement of Understanding with the Local Government Center was the next agenda item to be moved forward by Blandine. The LGC provides many services to affiliate groups and each year a new agreement is entered into which is tailored to meet the needs of each organization. Since a copy of previous agreements was not readily available, Blandine read through the list of categories offered including board of director support, membership, event management, financial and graphic design services. Categories were further broken down into specific detail and members of the Board decided which services have been utilized in the past. (A copy of this agreement will accompany the minutes for future reference purposes.)

A written copy of the Treasurer's Report was handed out by Pat Milone. Since the last meeting, annual dues have been mailed out and receipts as of August 11 th are duly reflected in the report (copy attached to minutes). Pat noted that she would be issuing checks for the salaried positions on the Executive Board. The Treasurer, Secretary, Public Relations and Legislative Chairman all receive a minimal stipend of $100.00 annually. Pat Milone brought up the fact that the Secretary's position had been vacated in the early part of the year by the person elected at the annual meeting. Brenda LaPointe was appointed to fill the void in March so Kathy felt that a prorated portion of the annual salary would be appropriate for this year. Kathy Seaver made a motion to pay a prorated portion of the annual stipend to the Secretary in the amount of $75.00. The motion was seconded by Vikki Fogg and was subsequently passed by unanimous vote. Pat M. continued with a synopsis of the Treasurer's activities noting receipt of payment from the Certification Committee for rental fees on the storage unit. She is busy preparing for the audit in early September and will have a report prepared in time for the conference.

A quick update from Kathy let everyone in on the joyous news that she has a new grandson! With that being said, Kathy continued with a rundown of items not included in the new bulletin. Among the most notable pieces of information missing is a list of Tax Collectors scheduled to receive longevity awards this year. Diane Jerry had kept a comprehensive list of Collectors along with their dates of service. When she left office she turned everything over to the Association but now the files are unaccounted for. Some of the information might be in the storage unit or perhaps even with Kate Cassady. The hunt is now on for this vital information. Kathy and Brenda agreed to take a look at the storage unit while Joe offered to ask Kate if she still has any of the files. Blandine asked if any of the data retained by the LGC would be useful. Brenda said that she had spoken to Amanda Walton yesterday and according to her they did not keep track of dates of service. Brenda will be contacting Diane Jerry to see if she can provide some guidance. Kathy continued the conversation on longevity awards by saying that for 25 years of service a Tax Collector would receive a clock. 30 years of service is awarded with a pin which is added to every 5 years thereafter. Brenda is to make sure that they awards are readily available for distribution.

The meeting continued with the Secretary's Report, most of which had already been covered with the previous discussion on longevity awards. Brenda said that she has been compiling a list of new Tax Collector's from the list of dues sent along by LGC. Cheryl-Ann has a list from the workshops and will forward to her for comparison.

Changing the subject, Kathy said that she had recently become aware of the fact that the town of Littleton is one of the communities that operates under the RSA's which allow for the Town Manager to be the Tax Collector. Joe confirmed that he is indeed the Deputy and has been for about the last five years when Littleton changed over to a Town Manager form of government. Kathy brought up a question about dues and whether or not towns that have the Town Manager as the Tax Collector should be paying for both the Manager and the Deputy since it is generally acknowledged that the Deputy is the one that often executes the duties of office. The general discussion brought forth another issue, complements of George West, that the Association look at changing the law to make sure that in communities where there is a Town Manager form of government, when the manager changes, that an audit of the books is undertaken. He noted that there have been many instances where this has happened and no re-committal warrant was issued. Barbara Reid joined the discussion and thought that George's suggestion was appropriate. There are currently six communities that operate with the Town Manager serving as Tax Collector (Colebrook, Exeter, Lancaster, Littleton, Meredith and Newport). Concord, Hanover and Nashua also have unique situations between the Tax Collector and the Deputy.

The Secretary's Report continued with Brenda acknowledging a note from Marcia Shackford of Madison that she recently appointed Carolyn Wickers as her Deputy. Finally, Brenda forwarded information to George West relative to the early beginnings of taxes in our country. According to some historical data retrieved from Wolfeboro's town records, was an old document which indicated that in 1798 was the first time that taxes were billed in the States for the purpose of funding an army and navy to fight the French.

With certification right around the corner, August 15 – 19, Kathy said that everything is in place and set to go. As often happens, there were a few last minute problems such as late applications, loss of classroom space, and instructors that reneged at the last moment, but with a little extra work, these issues have successfully been resolved. Managing the Work class that will be taught by veteran Tax Collectors is geared towards the jobs that we do and will include real life situations. The calendars have being finalized with three versions available, Tax Collectors', Town Clerks', and combined positions. Kathy extended an invitation to Blandine to attend the graduation ceremony on Friday, August 19th @ 1:00 p.m. Usually, the President extends a hearty welcome and congratulates the graduates on their fortitude and interest in completing the program. She mentioned to George that representatives from Plodzik and Sanderson are also invited to attend. Kathy stated that there are eight individuals graduating this year and next year, but that the first year attendees number over thirty! Patricia Woolsey said that perhaps the number has risen so dramatically due to the recent up rise in office turnovers. She went on to say that she is encouraged by the fact that so many new office holders are taking the initiative to take advantage of the Certification program. Perhaps this trend will encourage others to do the same and further promote professional development within the Association.

Jill Hadaway began the Legislative Report by saying that there was not much activity at the moment because the legislature is on vacation. While reviewing the final drafts of recent legislation she noticed that in the law on record retention the make up of the various committees assigned to review records has changed. She will be meeting with Kathy next week to update the law books in time for convention. She will also be preparing a report for the conference packets. Looking towards next year, Jill will put some thought into the suggestion made by George West regarding RSA 41:36 about requiring audits when Town Managers change in communities where they are also designated as Tax Collector. Kathy felt that this would be worth considering but that it would be an uphill battle as it would require communities to provide additional funds to accomplish. Jill continued by talking about the problems that the Town Clerks have had with the proposed legislation about appointing rather than electing town officials. She felt that appointments were often based on “who you know rather” than “what you know” and this could lead to potential problems. If you carry it one step further, it is a potential pitfall with the Town Manager (as Tax Collector) form of government that affects Tax Collectors as well. Joe concurred and stated that in the United States you only have to be 35 years of age and a citizen to run for President! Barbara Reid said that perhaps it would be best to focus more on clarifying some of the issues contained within the law such as requiring re-committal warrants. The question of Association dues came up again with Joe stating that currently the law does not speak to towns paying additional funds for the Deputy but perhaps it should. Kathy said that it would not be necessary to add new laws only change some components of existing ones. Joe mirrored Kathy's sentiments saying the he felt there would be opposition to change as well. Pat W. said that if communities were made aware of the benefits to performing an audit then they would want to have one done. Kathy said that in some cases audits were not even done when there was a change of a Tax Collector under the regular provisions.

Pat W. spoke about an issue that came up when she recently gave her notice in Bristol. She noted that there is a difference between the laws for Tax Collectors, Town Clerks, and the Town Clerk-Tax Collector Combined position with regards to the Deputy and filling a vacancy. RSA 669:65, referring to vacancies in the office of the Town Clerk, notes that the previously appointed deputy would serve as the Clerk until the next annual election. RSA 669:66, Town Clerk-Tax Collector, states that if a vacancy occurs the deputy shall discharge the duties of the town clerk-tax collector until the selectmen fill the position within 30 days (not necessarily with the deputy). RSA 669:67, Tax Collector, denotes a vacancy in office shall be filled by the deputy until the selectmen fill the position within 30 days (again, not automatically the deputy). The discrepancy here is between the Town Clerk and the Tax Collector, Town Clerk-Tax Collector combined and the manner in which the vacancies are to be filled. Discussion on the matter yielded no definitive solution except to take a look at the matter in more detail at a subsequent meeting.

Cheryl-Ann briefed the Board on the activities of the Education Committee. The fall convention agenda is all set including Bernie Campbell's presentation. The Helpful Hints program needs to be gone over by the Education Committee one final time before it will be ready. Pat M. asked if the groups for the topic of reconciliation have been defined yet. Cheryl responded by saying that the outline would be addressed after Certification. Record Retention and Document Management is the topic approved by the Local Government Center for inclusion in their annual conference. This presentation is being sponsored by NH Login, NH City and Town Clerks' Association and the NH City and Town Tax Collectors' Association. The people scheduled to make the presentation are Annie Dove, Director of Information Technology for the City of Dover, Brian Burford, Assistant Director of Archives, and one of LGC's staff attorneys.

Joe Wiggett gave an update on his progress as Workshop Coordinator. He and Joan Porter have had a chance to meet and decided that it would be a good idea to try and find other places like Marlborough where a civic group will sponsor one of the workshops. Joe has already found one group in Littleton that would be willing to put together a meal. The Methodist Church is interested in providing a luncheon for a workshop. The workshop could be held right across the street at the Opera House. Everyone seemed to embrace this cost saving idea wholeheartedly and Kathy mentioned that this would be an excellent item to include in the bulletin and even discuss informally at the upcoming convention. Of particular interest would be finding a location in the seacoast region as the workshop currently held at the LGC is already reasonable. Joe stated that it would be preferable if a location could accommodate up to 100 attendees and have handicap access.

Vikki Fogg informed the Board that she recently experienced a few anxious moments as Convention Coordinator because of an e-mail she received from Mike Pearson. Mr. Pearson told her of his decision to leave his position with the Balsams facility at the end of August. Before she could completely react to the possibilities which this scenario might present, Mr. Pearson informed her that he had come to terms with the new owners and would be staying with the company (at least for the time being). As far as everything else goes, only the last minute details are left to be covered. She did note that the vendors have not yet been invited but that will be taken care of shortly. Vikki asked if anyone had more thoughts on someone to replace her as Convention Coordinator. Pat W. mentioned someone that she thought would bring a lot of enthusiasm to the job. Joe said that this person's name had come up with the Nominating Committee and that he will give her a call. Kathy also mentioned someone that has volunteered for the Treasurer's position. The Nominating Committee will be approaching that individual as well.

Barbara Reid spoke about several events in which she will be a participant. A series of dinner meeting sponsored in conjunction with the GFOA will offer a program targeting the municipal role of Treasurers. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 at night in the following locations: Meredith – September 1 st , Exeter – September 6 th , Littleton – September 8 th and Peterborough – September 14 th . Budget and Finance workshops offered by LGC will be held in Bedford on September 20 th and in Lincoln on September 22 nd . She also mentioned the fall LGC conference and the session on fraud, “Is There a Fox in Your Chicken Coop?”. Another bit of information that she imparted was that Meg Baker will be retiring from DRA. This vacancy will undoubtedly make the tax rate season a bit more hectic than usual and she expects that Barbara Robinson will be right in the thick of the mix.

Joe wished to share with the Board some observations he has had Chairman of the Nominating Committee. It has occurred to him that perhaps there is no longer a need for this committee since most of the recommendations for vacancies on the Executive Board or committees come from the Executive Board itself. He questioned what the function of the Nominating Committee is when the Board is doing all of the work. Kathy acknowledged that “suggestions” to fill vacancies did come from the Board but that they were only offered as recommendations which the committee was not obligated to act upon. Joe forged ahead and suggested to either expand the role of the Nominating Committee to include actively seeking out interested people or else do away with it altogether. Blandine said that in the past when they have asked for people that might be interested in serving but the response was very low. Kathy said that to change the role of or do away with the Nominating Committee would require a change to the by-laws. While on the subject of nominations, Jill offered that she did not think the position of 2 nd Vice President held much of a challenge for people and that maybe it would be worth while to put this person in charge of the website. This would give that individual a purpose that is not immediately overwhelming but would provide an opportunity to play a more significant role in the day to day activities of the Association. Kathy said that the Board should spell out what that function would entail and include the fact that one did not necessarily need to be a computer wiz to accomplish the task. Joe agreed since he did not want to scare anyone off by making the added work sound intimidating. An update of this job description will be undertaken at a later date. While on the subject of job descriptions, Pat W. asked a few questions about which appointments are made by the President. She was referred to the Association By-Laws for a complete list of Presidential appointments. Pat also asked about the County Coordinators luncheon at convention. The luncheon will be held on Thursday at noontime in the Hale Room. She plans on mentioning that Coordinators should plan on making a list of all people in their County and forward an updated list to the Executive Board after elections each year. The job description for Coordinators needs to be updated to accommodate this change.

Mr. George West was up next and informed the Board that he and the Mrs. (affectionately known as “the old bird”) celebrated their 60 th wedding anniversary on August 5 th . Also, they have a new great-grand daughter. After a hearty round of applause, George reminded everyone about the idea that had been hatched a couple of months ago to have a group of folks coordinate some of the Association's historical records. He has called around and found a few of the Past Presidents that are interested in taking on the challenge. If this is something that the Board is interested in he would like to pursue it and asked for some direction. He also wanted to mention that there might be some expenses involved for mileage and possibly even typing, that sort of thing. While the idea was being discussed information came out that Kathy and Vikki had previously compiled a notebook with information on all of the conferences since the beginning and that Blandine and Maurice Barrett had also put together a list of significant events. This vital information is in storage and should be able to be readily accessed. George continued by saying that he has already spoken to Maurice Barrett and Ed Garvey and collectively they thought that meeting once a month would get them headed in the right direction. Joe Wiggett made a motion to direct the President to appoint a Historical Committee whose purpose will be to preserve and update records of the Tax Collectors' Associaton. Pat Woolsey seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous voice vote. Further discussion on the matter yielded a suggestion to have the Director at Large serve as Chairman of the committee.

Pat M. noted that there have been some issues with the internet at LGC lately but they have been resolved so that all of the items intended to be posted there and in the newsletter were able to be updated. Kathy asked if anyone had any thoughts on a gift for convention. There has not been enough time to solicit ads for the calendar so the idea of using this as a gift for this year is not practical. Pat W. and Vikki concluded that advertisements should be sought right after the Spring Workshops in order to be able to work the calendar in as the gift next year. Several suggestions were made for a suitable item this year and it was finally decided to present pocket size calendars that include a pen. The Association logo can be put on the front along with the motto or an appropriate quote. Kathy will provide Blandine with catalogs for ordering this item.

The meeting closed with a serious discussion about communities that operate with the Town Manager as the Tax Collector, the RSA reference versus reality.

The next meeting is scheduled for September 22, 2005, 9:30 a.m. at the Concord Office of Plodzik and Sanderson.

Jill made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 12 noon. Cheryl-Ann seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous voice vote.

Respectfully submitted,

Brenda L.LaPointe, CTC
Secretary