Manchester boards meet Monday to shape the special town meeting and hear from the school building committee

Manchester's Select Board and Finance Committee meet together Monday, Oct. 5, to work on the special town meeting coming up in November and to hear from the committee planning a new Essex Elementary School.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, with a Zoom option, and will be recorded, according to the agenda posted Thursday.

Town meeting and the school project

In the joint session, the two boards will take up the special town meeting's articles, its schedule and a plan for telling residents about it. The special town meeting is set for Monday, Nov. 16, and the Select Board plans to finalize the warrant Oct. 19, the town administrator told the board last month. Read our Sept. 30 roundup.

The boards will also hear from the Manchester Essex Regional School District's Essex Elementary Building Committee. Manchester shares the cost of the regional district with Essex.

The building committee is holding community meetings on the project on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. at Essex Elementary School and Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. at Manchester Memorial School, according to postings by the Essex selectmen. The district's own calendar has listed a different date for the Essex meeting, so check with the district before you go.

Also on the agenda

• Two National Grid public hearings, on Lincoln Street at 6:30 p.m. and Ashland Avenue at 6:35 p.m.
• The warrant for the Nov. 3 state election.
• Short term rental licenses for 61 Norwood Ave. and 53 Summer St.
• Reappointment of Town Accountant and Finance Director Andrea Mainville and Treasurer and Collector Jennifer Yaskell.
• The town administrator's first quarter review and report.

The board plans to end in a closed session to discuss bargaining strategy for the fire and clerical union contracts.