The tradition of inviting public comment at selectmen’s meetings is a courtesy, not a right, and its timing and placement on the agenda is entirely at the discretion of the chairperson. Sometimes it comes before discussion of a controversial item, sometimes after.
Nevertheless, we think the decision to place public comment before the presentation by Fish and Wildlife managers Libby Herland and Tom Eagle this week was a disservice to the nearly two dozen citizens who turned out to hear it. Many clearly wanted a chance to express their views, and a former selectman was prevented from speaking.
Keeping the bi-weekly selectmen’s meetings on track is a demanding job at which the current chair has excelled. But the ability to speak one’s mind on a controversial matter is also to be cherished. With only one period of public comment allowed at any given meeting, there is no easy solution. So here’s an idea: What’s to prevent the chair, at her discretion, from adding one or two additional periods of brief public comment when more than one item is to be taken up?
