Officials from Rockingham Park are expected to attend tonight's Salem Board of Selectmen meeting to discuss a referendum on expanded gambling.

Selectmen will meet at 7 p.m. in the Knightly Meeting Room of Town Hall. Here is their agenda.

Selectmen recently discussed the idea of a referendum to be put forward to Salem voters at the upcoming March town election. The track is expected to carry the expense of such a referendum.

Talk of a new gambling referendum surfaced publicly in October when local advocacy group NH Casino Now held a forum at the Elks Lodge.

"We really do want to send a message to Concord," NH Casino Now steering committee member Larry Belair said at that time. "We're kind of tired of Concord kicking it around. We need to let them know up there we're really serious."

Belair said two similar referendums have been held in the past and both times expanded gambling passed "pretty well."

Talk of an expanded gambling proposal in Concord is heating up again as Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan has expressed an open-minded attitude to the idea. Outgoing Gov. John Lynch promised to veto any proposal for expanded gambling. 

Millennium Gaming holds an option to purchase Rockingham Park and develop a casino there should expanded gambling pass.

Selectmen will also recognize the retirement of longtime town chief building official Sam Zannini, discuss investment policy with Town Treasurer John Sytek, and explore using Public Safety Impact Fees for the purchase of a new rescue voat for the Salem Fire.