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Milton committee meeting hours need changed

June 24, 2016

On Monday night I attended a second Milton Town Council meeting of the month with only four other members of the public. Not very well attended by any standards. During public participation, I spoke to the desire of some citizens who work daytime hours to attend committee meetings that were scheduled during normal working hours. All but one of Milton's committees (the water committee) meet after these regular working hours.

When the new business agenda item came up, Councilman Garde made the presentation. He informed all present that although he understood the intent of the Freedom of Information Act, having meetings during the workday was not a violation of FOIA and the committee would not be changing the hours of the meeting from 2 in the afternoon to accommodate just a few citizens.

The rationale was because a specific town employee was required to be in attendance, and they wouldn't have to pay him overtime or comp time. This employee is able to flex his time on those meeting days to accommodate later hours or earn comp time which is one hour off for one hour worked. Problem solved.

Councilman Garde went on to say they would schedule meetings that would affect a large segment of the population or discussions on increases to your water rates during non-working hours. Additionally, the committee would accept comments and/or questions on any agenda item at Town Hall up to two hours prior to any duly scheduled meeting, and the agenda would reflect this.

I am not sure if at this point whether Councilman Guarde misspoke or if our hearing in the audience was just bad, but the minutes of Monday night's meeting will reflect that he said that possible votes might be taken on these submitted comments. This then would surely be a violation of FOIA if what was being voted on had not be publicly noticed at least seven days in advance.

Councilman Cote chimed in as to why a non-working hour meeting time might be better and Vice Mayor Parker-Selby proposed a compromise. Discussion continued about the low number of citizens if any that attend some committee meetings which I agree is unfortunate. I attend as many as I feel have important topics that affect myself and/or my neighbors here in Milton.

Mayor Kanakos chimed in, and said he didn't think that in a town of 2,400 citizens that changing a meeting time to non-working hours just for the convenience of a couple of citizens that wanted to attend and couldn't because of work, shouldn't happen.

A suggestion was made that all committee chairs be polled to see if they wanted to continue to have the ability to schedule their meetings at their convenience and not necessarily the convenience of the working public. I have very little faith that the polling will even take place, and regardless of the result, Mayor Kanakos won't act to change the meeting time to accommodate so few citizens in a town of 2,400, and this topic will never see the light of day again.

What Mayor Kanakos has quickly forgotten is that he won the mayoral election in a town of 2,400 by only 17 votes. Remember Mayor Kanakos, every single voter mattered to you on election day, and they should still matter to you throughout your administration.

That said, Councilman Garde then began his condescending explanation addressed directly to me as to how committees work and who is and is not able to commit taxpayer funds. Councilman Garde either seems to have forgotten that I served on council under both of the last two administrations or was just grandstanding. In either instance, neither was appropriate or appreciated.

John Booros
Milton

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