Resident raises transparency concern about alderman appointment minutes; town staff and mayor respond

During the citizen‑comment period Susie Scott of 660 Bray Station Road said a recent newspaper article and the town’s work session minutes made the alderman selection process appear secret. Scott said the minutes she reviewed lacked detail about who voted for which candidate and that the absence of that detail undermined transparency.

Mayor Maureen Frazier and Town Administrator Molly Maynor responded that the selection process — including application notice, publication of applicants, interviews and deliberations — was public. Nathan Bix (town legal staff) told the board he attended the meeting in question and said there were no secret ballots; he described a polling technique used in deliberations and confirmed the vote taken during the special call meeting on Jan. 16 was open.

Town Administrator Maynor said the process included a three‑week application window, publication of 39 applicants, identification of nine candidates for interviews and that interviews and deliberations occurred in public sessions. She told the board she stands by the process as fair, open and transparent. Legal counsel advised the board that the approved minutes meet legal standards for sufficiency, although the level of detail recorded is at the board’s discretion.

Scott’s concerns prompted the board to publicly reiterate the access and openness of the appointment process; no formal action was taken on the minutes beyond earlier approvals of work session minutes during the meeting.