Southbridge Town Manager Christopher Clark has suggested to the Town Council that Citizen’s Forum be moved to the end of each Town Council meeting.
Given the somewhat late start time of regularly scheduled Town Council meetings, and the long length of some of the meetings these days, it seems this move would be deeply inconvenient for a lot of citizens, to the point of discouraging citizen participation in Town Council meetings. What do you think?
Here’s the letter, below the jump. I’ve also included a PDF version below, in case you’re interested in printing it out:
TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE
SOUTHBRIDGE,
MASSACHUSETTS
01550-2638
MEMORANDUM
TO: Town Council
FROM: Christopher Clark, Town Manager
DATE: August 11,2011
SUBJECT: Change in Council Agenda Format
In an effort to complete the Town’s business in a timely fashion, I recommend moving the Citizens Forum from the beginning of the agenda to the end of the agenda before Councilors Forum.
This change is being made in effort to pay full respect to the individuals who come before the Council with official business and have to wait hours at times until Citizens Forum is finished. I do believe Citizens Forum is an important part of the agenda and that moving it to the end will provide for more efficient meetings.
Thank you.
In a recent election, a candidate stated that he wants to see Southbridge run like a business. Imagine a Manager of an enterprise making a group of concerned shareholders wait for hours while the Manager conducts everyday non-emergency business? I do think it would be a good idea to get the lawyers out of the meetings faster to save the town a small fortune in legal fees, but sometimes it pays off because Mr. Caprera admitted before us all on Cable Access that the town manager asked for a way to access the landfill enterprise fund. Compare that opinion next to the Board of Health By Law opinions..
It would surprise me if Councilor Nikolla or the other Councilors will allow this, because after all, they wouldn't want to make Monique, Dick, Holly and Wally wait when they speak their positions any more than they'd want us to wait.
Sometimes I miss Citizen's Forum because my Dad likes a late dinner, so now they'll get to hear more from me , and also from the people that are working out of town or having dinner during Citizen's forum. this may be an accidental win-win situation.