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Citizen urges council to revisit oversight-committee appointment process
Summary
Laura Green told the Freeport council that a recent oversight-committee appointment "behind closed doors" erodes public trust; she urged the council to pause, explain legal basis and, if needed, redo the appointment publicly to restore confidence.
At the Jan. 5 Freeport City Council meeting, Laura Green, who identified herself as both a concerned citizen and a member of the city oversight committee, asked the council to reconsider a recent appointment process she said occurred "behind closed doors." Green said the manner of the appointment raised questions about whether open-meetings requirements and established city protocols were followed and warned that even if actions were legal, appearance matters for public trust.
"This is about policies, procedures, protocols, and public trust," Green said. She urged the council to "pause, reflect, correct course" if needed, which might include revisiting appointment procedures in public or explaining the legal basis for actions already taken.
Council members acknowledged the concern. Several councilmembers said they would examine how the appointment was handled and whether additional public information should be provided. Doctor Kelly and other staff agreed to look into the process and supply clarifying material.
Outcome: Council did not rescind or overturn any appointment at the meeting; the council indicated staff will provide additional explanation of the process and consider remedies if necessary.
