Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Halpern presses council on transparency, asks whether attorney polled members
Summary
Vice Mayor Pro Tem Halpern raised concerns about bypassing interviews and said residents reported the town attorney had been "polling" council members; the town attorney denied polling and said the office speaks with members on many matters but does not engage in polling.
Vice Mayor Pro Tem Halpern used the July 29 meeting to press for a full, public interview process and to raise transparency concerns about the interim manager. "It would be unfair if we bypass that process and bypass public input," Halpern said, urging that finalists be interviewed in public.
Halpern also told council she was hearing reports that the town attorney had been calling and "polling" council members about the interim manager. "Why am I hearing from residents that the town attorney is calling council members and polling them for votes on the current interim town manager?" she asked on the record. Town attorney responded directly: "Our office does not engage in polling, and that is factually incorrect." The attorney added that the office speaks with council members routinely on various matters but denied conducting polling.
Members who supported negotiating with the interim manager argued the allegation was unproven and said timeliness and candidate withdrawals favored moving forward. Halpern said the council owed residents an opportunity for in-person interviews and expressed concern about anonymous emails she said were circulating about the interim manager.
