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Resident raises transparency concerns; Selectboard agrees to training and procedural crib sheet
Summary
Ken Hall's public comment prompted the Selectboard to commit to Open Meeting Law training, adoption of a crib sheet of executive-session reasons and clearer articulation in motions; Shawna Batogowski will amend minutes and arrange follow-up.
During public comment at the May 6, 2025 special meeting, Ken Hall read a prepared statement that questioned the Selectboard's use of executive sessions: he said "executive sessions are not listed on the meeting agenda," that specific topics were not disclosed, statutory citations were not provided, and that "the votes to enter executive session may not be conducted in accordance with the law." He directed listeners to the town's YouTube channel for the full statement.
Merrill Bent advised the board that entering executive session is permitted even if it is not listed on the published agenda, provided the board properly votes and ties the reason to one of the statutory categories. Bent recommended several remedial steps the board adopt, including taking VLCT's on-demand Open Meeting Law training, ensuring compliance with the annual training requirement in 1 V.S.A. § 312(k), developing a crib sheet of permissible executive-session reasons with statutory citations, and providing more detail when moving into executive session. The Selectboard asked Hall whether these measures satisfied his complaint; he said they did, and Shawna Batogowski agreed to amend the minutes and follow up on training arrangements.
