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Residents and councilors clash over off‑meeting talks with neighboring towns; calls for clearer procedures
Summary
Residents and multiple councilors raised concerns after two councilors attended a meeting with officials from a neighboring town. Critics said such meetings risk undermining the council–manager form of government if department heads and the town manager are not included; the council agreed to address rules and procedures at a future workshop.
Several residents and council members pressed the South Berwick Town Council on May 26 about two councilors who attended an informal meeting with neighboring‑town officials after the annual town meeting.
At issue was whether councilors who attended—describing themselves as residents seeking information—crossed a line by meeting without notifying the town manager or involving department heads when the discussion touched on shared services and regionalization. A resident who spoke during public comment said, “It felt a little manipulative... to only hear about it then,” and asked the council to be transparent when representatives meet with neighboring governments.
One councilor who attended the meeting said they went as a private resident to learn how a neighboring town achieved a 0% budget increase and to discuss resource sharing; that councilor said the hosts clarified attendees were not speaking on behalf of any council. Other council members said they were uncomfortable because neither the town manager nor relevant department leaders were present and they worried such meetings could undermine the council‑manager form of government and the town’s ability to recruit a new manager.
The chair acknowledged the concern and said the matter would be addressed when the council reviews revised policies and procedures. Several councilors urged clearer boundaries and suggested that any discussion about regionalizing services should include the town manager and affected department heads. The council agreed to include rules and procedures on a workshop agenda (scheduled July 14) for further review.
