We’re baaack. So much to rant about… where to begin?
Ummm…start with page 3 (maybe)? Yeah, that’s good.
‘nuff said (not really).
The Selectboard refuses to let us into the room to cover the Selectboard meetings. This is, no doubt, a petty little power play by...umm… did you see page 3 yet?
The board allowed Keith Silvia into the room before he was on the Selectboard. No questions asked when the HE just strode into the room. Guess he’s special, huh? It’s common knowledge he was there, and this was while the building was closed to the public. Really, people, how obvious does it have to get before this foolishness is acknowledged? I STILL waited until the building was open to the public before attempting to attend a meeting in person. Our reporter (welcome back Jean Perry) tried to attend in person and was turned away.
I wrote a letter to the board and asked to be allowed in the room starting with this week’s meeting. I got an email back saying something about “consistent with the Governor’s orders” and an attachment about public meeting protocols from weeks ago. It is no longer valid in my opinion because town hall is now open to the public. We should be allowed in the room. We should’ve been allowed in all along. News media are an essential service. Certain politicians don’t like that, but we are.
We miss a lot not being in the room. We only get to see what the camera shows us. That is NOT enough.
On the other hand….the last meeting was more than three hours long. Maybe we should be careful what we fight for, huh?
Umm…did I mention you should take a peek at page 3?
I’d also like to know how they made that determination to keep us out. Jean walked into the building, and was asked to stay out in the hall while Bob Espindola checked to see if she could go in. He came back out and said, no… only board members could be in there. So, did they vote? Before the meeting? Open Meeting Law, anyone? They never mentioned it in the public portion of the meeting.
Hmm…I wonder how Mr. Silvia voted. I wonder if he advocated for us to get the same treatment he got. Too late to call him and ask him. Gee, if only they had talked about it in open session, huh? Then we would know.
Ah…who needs that stupid Open Meeting Law anyway?
Oh, and the Board of Health has still not sent a letter to the Selectboard so the vacancy on BOH can be filled. It’s been…how many weeks now? Six? (See page 12). Gee, maybe they just like it this way: the two buddies making all the decisions without some other thinking person interfering.
And, did I mention that you should see page 3?
Oh, Universe…your sense of humor humbles me.
Until next week then…see ya,
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