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Residents press Stevensville council for clearer agendas, FOIA responses and monthly financial reports
Summary
Residents used public comment to ask the council why routine agenda items such as correspondence and guest listings no longer appear, to request regular published cash-reconciliation and budget reports, and to urge better tracking of emailed information and Freedom of Information Act requests.
Stevensville residents used public comment at the July 9 town council meeting to press for clearer agenda listings and faster responses to emailed information requests.
Sue Devlin, identified herself as a resident at 3056 Street and asked why “correspondence” and guest items are no longer listed on the agenda; she said the omission has caused confusion about whether letters or guest speakers will be read. Council responses explained that under council rules items with no business beneath them are omitted from printed agendas, but that the line item itself remains part of the meeting packet.
Jean McKinley, of 401 Charles Street, thanked council members for their service and asked whether the council could limit repetitive public-comment back-and-forth to shorten meeting length; a council member said the public retains the right to speak and suggested council rules could limit repeat appearances on the same topic.
Another commenter asked for regular publication of cash and bank reconciliation reports, budget-versus-actual statements for revenues and expenditures, trial balances and the general ledger. The speaker said she has asked for information previously and has sometimes labeled requests as FOIA requests when she received no reply.
A council member said staff would provide monthly financial reports on expenditures and revenues going forward. The public comments concluded after the council moved on to the approval of minutes.
