Armstrong announced that he will not seek another term as a selectman in the May town election, citing his travel demands for work and spending more time with his family as reasons for his decision.

Members of the board thanked Armstrong for his years of service following his announcement.

“You have always been a big help to me,” Selectman Steve Amico said. “And I personally thank you for working with me.”

Also during the meeting, Town Administrator Rene Read told the board the preliminary estimate for the deficit in Hanson’s FY10 budget is $800,000, up from the $675,000 shortfall last year. Read said the increased deficit is due largely to the change in the school numbers and the increased snow and ice deficit, and said he plans on meeting with the financial team at the end of the week to analyze the budget.

Read also said he is meeting with neighboring towns and with the Board of Health to discuss solid waste removal and has begun an inventory of town-owned land to look into the possibility of a land auction.

The town administrator also introduced a new expense reimbursement policy aimed at controlling town spending that the board voted unanimously to adopt.

“In tight financial times, you want to monitor spending. We need to have tighter controls,” he said.

The board also approved Green Hanson’s request to hold their annual Earth Day celebration at Town Hall and, in a joint vote with the Board of Assessors, appointed William D’Etremont to fill the vacant Assessors seat.

The selectmen also voted to consider materials on the property owned by Dean Anderson on Ocean Avenue “detrimental to the public.”

“All I can say on this is that Mr. Anderson has been pre-warned and duly notified,” Amico said.

Anderson arrived during the meeting and attempted to speak, but chairman James Egan said it was out of order and that Anderson knows the appropriate channels he needs to go through in order to be heard. Anderson left the meeting before the board considered the motion.

The board then adjourned into executive session.