Select Board Roundup

Here is a summary of what happened at this week’s Select Board meeting:

• The Select Board to hire James O’Mara as the new Amherst Town Administrator. Bruce Bowler is now the Chairman of the Select Board.

• As a result of increased traffic flow by detours from the construction on Mack Hill Road, the board voted to add a stop sign to Buckridge Road.

• The board discussed an OHRV ordinance that has been brought forth in response to complaints from homeowners. There had been some loud vehicles on town-owned land and conservation land, but without an ordinance, there is little the police can do. The board moved to table any decision until the issue was brought to school officials, since it may affect school-owned land.

• The board approved having PSNH work on poles on Stearns Road and Boston Post Road.

• A decision on an amendment to the Employee Policy Handbook related to vacation benefits was tabled until the next meeting. The amendment is a response to employees maxing out their vacation carryovers contrary to the policy.  The  draft will include special circumstances for additional carryover and additional language on buyback.

• Town Administrator Chris Rose told the board that the town’s health insurance provider, Primex, will no longer be participating in group health insurance after July 1, 2012. The board agreed they needed to begin looking for an alternative provider.