DIXFIELD – Selectmen opened Monday’s late afternoon board meeting with a reading of their meeting format rules as requested by two residents at their April 12 meeting.
Selectman Stephen Donahue read the section pertaining to public participation.
“The Right to Know Law requires that the general public be given full access to public proceedings, such as meetings of the municipal officers, but full public access, does not mean an unconditional right of participation,” Donahue said.
At board meetings, which have not been advertised as public hearings, selectmen are free to deliberate among themselves without entertaining comment from the general public, the rule states.
However, there may be valuable information-gathering or public relations reasons for allowing people to speak even if not legally required.
But, municipal officers have broad discretion in allowing the public to speak, the rule book adds.
“Inappropriate, offensive, interruptive or repetitive comments from the public never have to be entertained by a municipal board or official,” Donahue said.
The town rulebook further stated that municipal officers should always avoid giving up control of a meeting to rude, loud, obnoxious, disruptive, intoxicated or threatening individuals.
Should someone interfere with the orderly conduct of a public meeting, they are to be asked to leave or risk being escorted out by a police officer, Donahue added.
But the two people who requested that information at the April 12 meeting to be available Monday – Sonya Fuller and Brenda Turbide – were not there when it was read, said Town Manager Nanci Allard.
Turbide didn’t make it to the meeting, but Fuller did, albeit arriving later, Allard added.
In other business, selectmen approved articles for a special town meeting, set for 6 p.m. Monday, May 24, in the Dixfield fire station kitchen following the regular Board of Selectmen meeting.
A public hearing on one of the articles – whether or not the town should adopt a resolution regarding the Androscoggin Region Pine Tree Zone – is set for 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 10, in the Ludden Memorial Library community room.
In addition to electing a moderator, the third article asks if the town will accept Child Hollow Road as a town way.
Selectmen did acquiesce Fuller’s request to form a separate board of water trustees, by allowing her to revive their Water Advisory Committee.
Selectmen formed the committee in September 2002 to discuss Water Department problems and to find ways to resolve them. Chaired by Dan Mitchell, the committee filed its recommendations with selectmen in March 2003, and fell by the wayside.
But, thanks to Fuller, a committee member, they are now being asked to meet at 6 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month.
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