Recently in Summer Meeting Category
Note from the MCA: Following is a link to the press release by the Town of
Firstly, this wasn't a decision to hold a summer informational session on a different day. No, it was the outcome of a discussion a few months back at a selectmen work shop (March 26 2009) to do away with the summer informational session altogether per Joel Mudgett from the minutes of that workshop: "given our website, newsletter and many other public relations efforts, if the summer meeting is really needed." A suggestion was made at that meeting to perhaps leave some time at the beginning of the July work session open for public questions and input. Remember, the work sessions do not normally allow for public comment (at least for some members of the public). Secondly, Mr. Borrin moderated the summer meeting last year at the speed of light and frankly, we do not see the need or value to have him “moderate" an informal Q&A at a selectmen meeting. We certainly don't need another session of Borrin's rules of order and seeing citizens getting the bums rush and being cut off when he doesn't like the questions or questioner.
Thirdly, as Chair Karel Crawford said in the press release “While our year round residents can attend meetings on a regular basis and come into Town Hall at any time, this time has been designed especially for our seasonal residents." Really? The why reduce the summer meetings to every 2 weeks and continue to limit public input at the regular selectmen meetings. And while we are at it, what accommodations are made so that these very same seasonal residents can vote during town meeting and have a say in how their considerable tax dollars are spent?
The The Board of Selectmen are not having a formal informational meeting this summer. Instead they will use their workshop scheduled for Thursday July 24, 2009 for summer residents wishing to come and ask any questions they may have.
The Board of Selectmen meeting was a bit difficult to hear tonight, but that’s not unusual. We have written about that before. We would like to see a microphone available for the Selectmen to use so that all members of the audience can hear as well as the listening audience from the video tape.
A few points of interest: Our legislator, Betsy Patton addressed the chair with some research she had done on the Heritage Commission appointees. She began to cite the RSA pertaining to Planning Board Members on a heritage committee. While it is true that no two members of a planning board can be on a heritage commission, sadly, she was not able to quote the correct RSA. She had gone so far as to pass out copies of the alleged RSA, but when she realized she had the wrong RSA, she said ‘Oh well. I can’t find it.” What can you say, but it’s very difficult to follow what she is trying to convey to the listening public. This is not just folksy charm. It’s a lack of familiarity of the facts.
Another point of interest: Why is it that Jane Fairchild, who is more than qualified to be on the Heritage Commission and has pressed for the establishment of the Commission, seems to be targeted to be pushed out of appointment altogether? A member of the Board of Selectmen needs to be on the Heritage Commission as stated earlier, but why not let Jane be on the commission? Another Board member could easily be appointed who is not on the Planning Board. So, why the delay?
And another point is that the summer schedule for the Board of Selectmen will be the 1st, 3rd and 5th, if there is a 5th, Thursday of each month, beginning now. July 2nd is the next meeting. Workshops are scheduled for the 4th Thursday of the month. This will be posted on the Town Webpage.
That’s it for tonight folks! Keep tuning in. We will be adding more information as it develops!
Notes from
(Video will be available on this website in the near future)
July 19th, 2008
Attendees
Audience: 43 (Including one reporter and photographer)
Town Officials on Stage: 12 (Included all 5 selectmen and only 1 school board member)
It should be noted that this was advertised as an informational meeting. It was unfortunately moderated as if it were a voting town meeting and as an audience member it felt as though time was going to be very limited (“we will have a short period at the end for questions”). In fact, select board chair Karel Crawford left before the last questions were even asked.
We do not think this format is very conducive to citizen participation.
Instead of a moderator, a facilitator would have been far more appropriate. Without being overly critical of Mr. Borrin, his style of moderating does not allow the audience to feel comfortable and he certainly did not encourage a two way informative conversation. He even prefaced a question from an audience member from the MCA. He inserted himself in the conversation which is not appropriate in this informal setting. We hope that Moultonboro will learn from other communities such as Meredith and their recent brainstorming session which was very open and successful.
Lastly, if this was truly an important and value added meeting as advertised by the selectmen, we would have hoped that our elected officials had stayed the course and not left early and that more members of the school board were present. The impression of some attendees was that the elected officials did not really want to be there and with some exceptions, ( the very informative messages from Betsy Patten, Chief Kinmond, Chief Bengston, Library and the seniors group ) not much was really said by either board. The Master Plan presentation was thorough, but did not receive any follow up or input from the officials in attendance. A real Q&A with audience participation during the presentation would have helped the public learn more about this important project.
How to make the process better? Make people feel comfortable. This is an informal meeting, make it feel that way. Facilitate the discussions by asking for follow up and encouraging participation from both sides. Most of all, don’t rush through it as if it were a burden to be there.
MCA
Meeting Highlights
- Only 4 non voting attendees
- Ed Charest updated the process for the new Advisory Budget committee. Stated he is looking forward to it.....
