About 60 Paris voters gathered Saturday the 12th in the fire station to transact the annual business of the town, essentially the items that make up the budget for the following year.
The audience was orderly and attentive, and some people asked relevant questions that were reasonably answered. Vic Hodgkins, budget committee chair, came prepared to explain his committee's work. Several members of the audience were well versed in meeting protocol, and this particular audience found a whole new favorite set of words in "I move the question".
The Sun Journal has posted articles, both before and after the town meeting, giving information on the content of the meeting. [editor's note: the entire warrant for the annual meeting was posted on the previous site of TPR.]
What was not reported is a protocol item, as well, but for the selectboard itself. One specific board member has consistently displayed a habit of interrupting; jumping in with a question or point of challenge out of turn to speak over a person who had been waiting a turn to speak; and pontificating for no apparent reason other than to pontificate. This behavior was apparent at more than one point in the meeting Saturday; this behavior has been apparent at selectboard meetings; and this behavior seems equally unnecessary and inappropriate in either setting.
This is not to say that our former town attorney selectman does not have some ideas and opinions worth hearing.
It does say, however, that this arena is not the courtroom; this selectboard and the town manager are not his private staff; and his counsel and direction are not what his elected status now indicates a need for. He must now be a team player, and there are not a few voters waiting for the rest of the selectboard, especially its chairman, to make that clear.
Monday 6-14-10 at 7pm, our new 5 member selectboard will meet at the town office. One of the items on the agenda, is #11, Discussion and action on medical leave policy. The current Town of Paris Employee Handbook is, as a matter of fact, being updated and reworked by the Policy and Procedures Committee, at the request of the town manager. There are several sections in the current policy referring to vacation time, sick leave, benefits, etc. Posted here is the current statement on Sick Leave.
The selectboard is the final review board for policy in our municipal structure. It would seem they have specific concerns they wish to address on this topic of sick leave themselves at this point. Perhaps it may have to do with the recent borrowing ahead of paid sick leave recently granted without question to the current town manager?
