Why Is This Off-Camera?

Ken O’Brien

Posted on the town website is an agenda for a Town Council Meeting of the Whole prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting Monday night. The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

COUNCIL OF THE WHOLE

GEORGE PARENT COMMUNITY ROOM

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013 – 6:30 PM

AGENDA

1. Call Meeting to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Review resume and employment agreement for Acting Town Manager, Robert Reed and to submit to Council for ratification.

4. Adjournment 

Now, given that this is a publicly-posted meeting with a stated agenda, I believe that we can safely assume that it is not in executive session. Certainly there is no stated intention to vote to go into executive session unlike that in item 16 on the agenda for the regular council meeting..

Also, the meetings of the town council are regularly televised. Indeed, the joint meeting with the school committee which took place prior to the regular meeting two weeks ago was televised.

So, given that this is not an executive session, and given that the television cameras are available as they were two weeks ago, why is this meeting being held in The George Parent Community Room? Why can’t it be held in Council Chambers and broadcast for all to see?

Given that Mr. Reed will be the Acting Town Manager for at least six months, shouldn’t the public be able to know how the council members evaluate his experience?

Given that the council agenda states that Mr. Reed will be contracted “to perform the duties specified in the agreement”, shouldn’t we be privy to what those duties are and how they may differ from being a full-fledged Acting Town Manager as the town charter mandates?

As a closing note I want to mention that there has been an improvement in the posting of agendas and minutes on the town website recently. I believe recognition is due to Councilor Amelia Peloquin who has taken the lead in working to improve this situation.