Wednesday's blog, a day late

Very interesting opinion piece in yesterday's Standard Times. It is a "Your View" writing relative to Fairhaven's proposed by-law for wind turbine siting being drafted by the Planning Board.  Appears the writer doesn't think much of the proposed by-law.

There is talk that the state is now actually "looking into" siting standards.  This is something that would have been beneficial before writing the laws that made industrial turbines an economically viable investment.  But hey, nothing new in government about locking the door to the barn after the horse has escaped.

If the proposed by-law is as near useless as indicated in the opinion piece, what do we as a town do?

The proposed by-law is on the agenda for tonight's selectmen's meeting.  Again I will have to try and catch the broadcast live.

Big night tonight really for our board of selectmen.  The interesting discussion which should ensue on the proposed by-law; the sign off on the job description for the town treasurer (whatever it will be, some 8 weeks plus post opening it will be approved); and there are a couple of items that might provide some worthwhile viewing.  We will have to see.

While I am on the selectmen's meeting, I received a request relative to my piece on their last meeting, and comments on the open meeting law.  Once again here is the link to The Attorney General's Guide to the Open Meeting Law. It should open to a .pdf  of the guide.  Another useful link is the guide as outlined on the AG's website.  If you don't want to download a .pdf, than the second link is for you.

Once again, there are 10 reasons that a public body can go into executive session.  I am not going to provide a lecture on the reasons or proper application.  The guide more than adequately covers those matters.

As far as what has to be done to call an executive session, there are four (4) main requirements, which are:

While all meetings of public bodies must be open to the public, certain topics may be discussed in executive, or closed, session. Before going into an executive session, the chair of the public body must:

• Convene in open session;
• State the reason for the executive session, stating all subjects that may be revealed without compromising the purpose for which the executive session was called;
• State whether the public body will reconvene in open session at the end of the executive session; and
• Take a roll call vote of the body to enter executive session. (Taken from AG Guide).

I would suggest that if people continue to have issue or difficulty with the open meeting law application and use of executive session they should read the guide.  It is insightful, does a better than average job of explaining when and when not executive sessions can be used.

I was looking forward to today's edition of The Fairhaven Neighborhood News, except there isn't one.  Seems it is vacation time, next edition isn't out until January 10th.  I guess one could always leaf through the archives if withdrawals set in.

This time next week we should have people all ready taking out papers to run for office. Where the rumor mill was cranking just a few weeks ago, it seems to have come to a near standstill at this point.  Everything I am hearing is in the conjecture realm rather than having any firm footing in reality.  Time will tell.

Speaking of time, that's all I have in me to devote to the blog today.Take care and be safe.