Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council over hiring process and social-media post about municipal hire
Summary
Multiple residents pressed the council during public comment about the hiring of a purchasing/finance staff member and about a circulated Nextdoor video questioning the propriety of hiring a neighboring mayor; the mayor said the position was posted and the applicant met civil-service requirements.
At the public-comment portion of the June 5 meeting, several residents raised concerns about the township's hiring process and transparency after a social-media post questioned the propriety of a hire.
Bob Bruce, identifying his address, asked about the impetus for the hiring and about a Nextdoor post that questioned whether someone from a neighboring municipality was being hired. Bruce said the post generated "legitimate speculation" in the community and asked council to address it. Mayor (responding) said the purchasing-agent-style job was advertised on the township website with a clear deadline and that the selected applicant met the posted requirements. "If you have a question you ask me or you call Beth; don't listen to the internet idiots," the mayor said, urging reliance on official information.
Other commenters asked the council to restore longer public-comment time for agenda items and voiced frustration about what they described as reduced opportunities to discuss agenda items before votes. Donna Schneider questioned the frequency and substance of executive sessions and said some matters may not belong behind closed doors. Commenters also raised questions about apparent reallocations in the capital plan (noting notes that money previously allocated for a fire truck appeared listed as applied to an EMS building); council responded that purchases or borrowing had not yet been finalized and that more discussion would follow.
No formal action followed public comment; the council recorded the remarks and said staff will respond to procedural and document requests. The council declined a request to restore longer agenda-item comment time at this meeting.
