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Resident asks select board to unseal structural minutes after alleged public business in nonpublic session
Summary
A Dalton resident told the board she believes a portion of a recent meeting that altered department structure was discussed or voted on in nonpublic, and she asked that the structural portion be unsealed and that the board improve transparency; the board said it would review minutes and consult the attorney about potential redactions.
A Dalton resident urged the select board to unseal parts of nonpublic minutes and to ensure that structural decisions are taken in public.
During public comment, Christina (who identified herself with an address) said she believed the board had discussed and voted on an item in nonpublic that should have been handled in public. "It sounds like y'all went into a non public meeting and had a what should have been a public discussion," she said, and asked whether the structural portion of the minutes could be unsealed so the public could see that part of the discussion.
The chair responded that there are two separate issues — changing a department’s structure, which should be done in public, and a personnel appointment, which is appropriately handled in nonpublic session for privacy — and said the board intended to review the minutes and consult the attorney to identify any portions that must remain privileged. The board directed staff to compile the attorney‑contact log and have the town attorney review it for redaction before providing records in response to the Right‑to‑Know request.
Why it matters: residents raised procedural questions about whether the board followed open‑meeting rules in distinguishing between structural changes (public) and personnel actions (nonpublic). The board said it would seek legal guidance and review minutes for appropriate redactions and unsealing.
What’s next: staff will forward the attorney‑contact log and relevant minutes to the town attorney for privilege review and will report back to the board about whether parts of the nonpublic minutes can be unsealed or must remain redacted.
