relative to the number, selection, and terms of town highway agents and relative to the appointment of an expert highway agent.
What changed between versions
A new section amends RSA 231:64 to allow a town to vote at its annual meeting to instruct selectmen to appoint an expert highway agent with the same powers and duties as an elected or appointed highway agent. The town may also vote to rescind that authorization. The expert agent serves at the pleasure of the selectmen, and towns using official ballots must use them for adoption or rescission votes.
RSA 231:62 was modified to add an alternative pathway: a town may choose to adopt the provisions of RSA 231:64 for an expert agent instead of having elected or selectmen-appointed highway agents. The original language requiring 'one elected highway agent for a one year term' as the default was removed.
The original section that repealed RSA 231:62-b (the provision governing repair of highways by large towns) was removed, meaning large towns retain their existing statutory framework rather than being folded into the new system.
The original applicability clause (stating the act would not change existing arrangements or require local readoption) and the 60-day effective date provision were both removed from the amended version.
