9364-R2_Harrison_2025_AnnualReport

Selectboard

For the Town of Harrison and the Selectboard, 2025 has been a year of meaningful transition, renewed collaboration, and, we believe, steady progress as we continue strengthening the Town’s governance procedures, community engagement, and financial stewardship responsibilities.

Governance

Over the past year, Harrison has seen important changes within our municipal leadership team. From February through August, Brad Plante served as interim Town Manager, successfully managing last year’s annual budget process and coordination of the annual Town Meeting. In June, several community residents joined the Selectboard for the first time, and, in September, John Bellino was hired as Town Manager. These transitions have, together, brought fresh energy, some new perspectives, and a shared commitment to improving how we plan, communicate, and deliver services to the Town. The Selectboard has reconfirmed a list of core principles displayed at every board meeting, which provide a framework for board decision-making and set the tone for respectful discourse on municipal issues at every Selectboard meeting and throughout the organization. The Selectboard and the Town Manager have also been working on updating a number of municipal policies to improve consistency and legal compliance in all municipal conduct and activities. A major area of progress has been our work to expand community involvement through committees and volunteer opportunities. In the past year, committees have helped bring more residents and taxpayers into the decision-making process, providing valuable insight on local fee structures, the annual budget development process, future town educational options, and in developing the long term vision for the future of Harrison in the areas of land use and development. Our new Town Manager also has a monthly informal opportunity to meet residents and hear directly about immediate concerns as well as provide information on ongoing municipal matters. So, stop in at one of these and meet John if you haven’t already. This increased engagement has strengthened Harrison’s ability to make informed, community centered decisions and has reinforced the importance of shared responsibility in shaping Harrison’s future. Participation in activities and decisions about what services the Town should provide, both now and in the future, can be both personally rewarding and contributing to the overall well-being of the town. Financial Management Annual audit reports are up-to-date for past years and quarterly municipal financial reports provide information on the current year’s spending status. All of these can be found on the Town website. We continue to work at balancing rising costs with the need to maintain essential services while also investing in critical infrastructure. Community Engagement

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