Expect To See More Changes in Town Offices

New service windows, new Web site, and more

January 17, 2013 • Saved under News
By Carly Strathdee, Beacon intern
Chuck Houston of Boscawen tackled the project of reconfiguring the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s office in the Town Hall. In this photo he is enlarging the small window onto the waiting area so it can become a service window. A second service window will be added in the office door, and those windows will be where you will transact your business. Photo: Charlie Darling

The new year brings new and necessary changes to the Andover Town Offices. Improvements to safety via the Department of Labor, adjustments to Town personnel and their hours, and technological upgrades are all in effect. Progress is essential to the Town, and the Board of Selectmen is confident these changes will prove to be valuable.

Department of Labor

Department of Labor standards have led to three significant changes for the Town, including a generator upgrade, rearrangement of the Town Hall office environment, and reactivation and staffing of the Town Safety Committee.

The Board of Selectmen has created a new line item in the budget for Emergency Management Services. The allocated funds will be used to purchase a generator for the Town Hall. The current portable generator is stored in the Town Hall basement and has to be dragged outside, started, and plugged in before it can be used. The new generator will be housed outdoors on a concrete pad and will feature automatic turn-on in order to prevent damage to computers and other electronics.

In an effort to improve and protect the Town Office work environment, the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s office will be redesigned, separating the employees and their work stations from the public. The current office door and window will be converted into service windows where all business will be conducted. Lastly, the Town Safety Committee, which oversees Town employee safety issues, will be reactivated and re-staffed in order to fulfill the Town’s obligations under law.

Personnel Changes

After the retirement of Eileen Neville last fall, the Board of Selectmen examined and redefined the position of Secretary/Clerk, requiring applicants to possess strong computer skills and experience with QuickBooks. The Town hired Lois Magenau to fill the position.

Several years ago, the Town Office identified the need for a bookkeeper due to increasing volume and complexity of transactions and reporting requirements, heightening the workload. After aiding with the upgrade of the Town’s accounting system in QuickBooks, Tatjana Donovan has been hired for the part-time position.

Technology Changes

A new line item in the Town budget has been created for technology changes. The Town Offices are now using Mainstay Technologies for service and support. Acting as the Town’s computer department and using remote access to save on travel time, the company aids in computer maintenance, upgrades, installation, use of new software, and any other support required by the Town Office. Plans are also afoot to create a Town of Andover Web site, with some assistance available in our contract with Mainstay.

The new budget line item also includes funds to purchase a new accounting software package specifically designed for small municipalities. The new software will serve the needs of the Town Office better and more efficiently than a general-purpose accounting package like QuickBooks can.