A Broken Promise Not To Vote at the Select Board Work Sessions

Earlier this year when the Board of Selectmen changed their work sessions to Monday mornings at 9:00 A.M., Jeanette Stewart promised that the board would only vote on emergency items.  Last week the board voted on and approved a number of warrant articles totally over $250,000.  At last night's meeting, the board discussed several warrant articles that had been tabled for further review but did not review the approved warrant articles for the public.  Instead the board had to be asked to review the approved articles, but did not provide their rationale for approving them. 

The problem with the Monday morning work sessions is that they are difficult or impossible for most people to attend.  This point has been raised, but the board has chosen to hold the work sessions at that time anyway.  At the morning work session the board spent about 2 1/2 hours discussing the warrant articles, the budget, and other matters, but did not review any of this at the meeting last night.  In fact, last night's meeting would have been over in about 20 minutes if Steve Heath had not come to discuss two warrant articles for the fire department. 

The board did review the first Monday morning work session at the following Monday night board meeting, but they have not done so since.  We think is important that the board keep the pubic well informed about matters discussed in the work session, especially when significant matters like warrant articles totalling over $250,000 are concerned.