Following a few minutes of discussion and tweaking the fine points of its language, the Board of Selectmen this week completed the charge to its soon-to-be-seated Permanent Memorial Commission.

First Selectman Pat Llodra and Selectmen Will Rodgers and James Gaston, Sr decided Wednesday evening that instead of mandating a routine for the commission to regularly report to the board, the panel should be available to appear when and if the selectmen required an update to its efforts.

The commission's charge is as follows:

The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a commission of nine residents to lead the community through the process of determining the nature, location, and funding of a permanent memorial(s) to honor the memory of those lost in the Sandy Hook School shooting on December 14, 2012 in order to make a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen and provide interim requests for information as required.

It is expected that the Permanent Memorial Commission shall:

*Solicit ideas to be submitted for consideration and review offers and suggestions received from many interested persons and organizations including those which have been archived by the Cultural Arts Commission and other town departments;

*Directly solicit input and meaningfully engage with: families of victims and survivors, Sandy Hook School faculty and staff, and Sandy Hook School parents;

*Conduct public meetings with the Cultural Arts Commission, Library Board of Trustees, and other organizations as appropriate to solicit input;

*Conduct public hearings for community input;

*Work with town departments in determining available/appropriate locations;

*Conduct all of its review and decision-making consistent with public processes.

*Recommend to the Board of Selectmen, commission findings related to the nature, location, and funding of a memorial(s); and

*Conduct inquiries as the commission deems necessary.

After approving the charge, the selectmen decided to take up discussion of how they would finalize appointments to the nine member commission in executive session. Those appointments could be announced as early as the September 19 board meeting.