Executive session issues set for hearing Nov. 4 in Montpelier
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TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: October 30, 2009
MONTPELIER — The Montpelier City Council will hold a public hearing on Nov. 4 to discuss the issue of executive sessions, following public concern about the city's use of the closed-door format from 2006 to 2009 to discuss an accounting error that cost the city's water fund $400,000.
Among those invited to speak is Worcester resident Allen Gilbert, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, whose organization wants to ensure groups follow open meeting law in going into executive session.
"It's not the judgment that might go on in the executive session, it's just following the law in trying to protect the public's right to know," he said.
The issue has garnered broad attention in recent weeks. In Burlington, city officials have come under fire from the City Council for withholding information about a $17 million loan to Burlington Telecom over two years; the Waterbury Record was concerned by local fire subcommittees failing to tell the public of meetings and then neglecting to keep minutes of the sessions; and a Vernon police chief who was recently fired has alleged that the selectboard violated open meeting law by meeting in executive session to "micro-manage" the department.
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