The actual agenda items were few; as the previous post mentioned, the discussions themselves took the time.
The item of the FEMA grant for Paris Fire Department has been well covered in the Sun Journal "Paris Selectmen Approve Fire Tanker", 5-11-10. A safely equipped and well-manned fire department, as well as the demands and cost for such, continue to be a priority concern for all Paris citizens. Last night's 35-minute-plus discussion - including board members, Chief Brad Frost, and citizens - was no exception.
Other issues, not on the agenda... that emerged:
*Board of Selectmen Priority List
This is the product of the April 12 selectmen's workshop - held after the regular board meeting that night - 10 items the four agreed to include on a list of things for the town to get on a to-do list, and then to prioritize. Good ideas, by and large. Two more ideas were added during the second after-meeting session tonight.
During citizen comments several citizens expressed an interest in having additional citizen input, as well, in such an endeavor. While the workshop structure is just for selectmen to talk together, citizens were allowed to listen.
It is to be hoped that the fine line between trying to be inclusive and having endless debate, on the one hand, and "we know what's best for you," on the other, can be navigated. While it is realistic and valuable for a board to have their own work time, uninterrupted, this town has a history of people sometimes feeling their frustrations were ignored and that resulting dilemma getting way out of hand.
*Sensitive Information
There was the matter of how information, some of it sensitive, is passed along from town Atty. Hole to the individual selectmen in the current lawsuit of former town mgr. S. Jackson.
It was decided that any emails from his office would continue to be fielded through the town office. It is unfortunate that emails - that are all public information - and /or faxes are used, when US mail would be more secure, although Town Mgr. Tarr said he didn't believe Atty. Hole would be likely to send sensitive information via email. There was no discussion of the protocol for phone calls.
Many people will surely do their best. However, during the tenure of another board not so long ago, some legal information somehow did not make it to the intended parties. Sometimes legal information cannot help but be in one party's interest and not in another's.... In the case of the specific information referred to above "during the tenure of another board," that information could have been instrumental in preventing the magnitude of what this town currently faces.
Any process for handling the transmission of sensitive material - for this lawsuit or anything else in the course of transacting this town's business - would usually, at the direction of the entire board, be via the town manager. Town Mgr. Tarr requested instructions for this matter last night.
There would most certainly not be a role for any private counseling by any other individual, no matter how extensive that individual's background might be. We have a paid attorney, and access to MMA resources; that is the expected route for our legal advice. This town has had enough of individuals acting on behalf of when that really meant in spite of.
*Special Selectboard Meeting
On Thursday 5-13-10 at 5 pm, this selectboard will meet with Atty. Hole to discuss the upcoming mediation process in the Jackson 80B Complaint.
The meeting, Ch. Glover said, will include only the one item, and, though the public may attend, will be held primarily in executive session.
Although The Paris Reporter vigorously supports questioning just about everything, it is important to point out that if this session is for our selectboard to learn about the protocol for the up-coming mediation process, then any public time taken up with questions should be used sparingly.
Any questions asked to gain information that the public might be entitled to - during the public time just prior to the executive session - can easily be done, if necessary, without grandstanding or posturing on the part of any individual. Then the executive session can be devoted to business. [Unlike the April 20 meeting with the lawyer that turned into a double expense because other items were deposited on the agenda before an executive session and Atty. Hole had to sit there and wait; and be paid.]
Because, #1, we are paying Atty. Hole for every minute of his time, and there is hue and cry a-plenty about the use of tax payers' money; and, #2, this town is in serious need of concrete information from the informed parties actively involved in handling this case, and our elected officials need to ask for and listen to directions from the lawyer this town hired to handle this case.
