Elected leaders have an important role. These public servants give their time and expertise to chair meetings, set agendas, and collaborate with others to develop budgets, policies, and procedures.
What happens if meetings are scheduled when the duly elected president of a town council is unavailable in order to accommodate a town administrator who accepted the position knowing these meetings are normal? Is this consistent with the will of the people?
Times and places should be conducive for the attendance of all elected members regardless of party or Political Action Committee. The town administrator serves at the pleasure of the council per the town charter. and should not dictate to the council when meetings are held. Scheduling by decree erodes local governance.
Handling town business, not playing beat the clock so the town administrator doesn’t have to stay at a meeting past 6:30 p.m. is the role of the town council. It’s about time that council members stop party politics and set meetings by a clock and calendar that would be convenient for all, including the public, to attend!
Jodi Frank Charlestown
This article was published as a Letter to the Editor in The Westerly Sun on September 7, 2021.
