Perinton GOP Invents Time Machine, Breaks Open Meetings Law?
A sharp-eyed reader on the ground in Perinton reports on some funky and possibly illegal timing of appointing the newest Town Board member:
Glossner decided he didn’t want to run for re-election to the Perinton board, so in typical Republican fashion, he resigned early so they could appoint someone now (so they can run as an incumbent). They appointed and swore in Peg Havens, the Town Leader for the Perinton GOP at their April 22nd meeting. The meeting minutes are here:
http://perinton.org/Data/Documents/town%20board%20agendas/April%2022%202009%20agenda.pdf
Now here’s the interesting bit. Perinton, just last week, also sent out their Summer Parks & Rec program. Have a look at the back cover — There’s already a picture of the new town board, including Peg Havens, even though this document had to have been printed long before her official appointment. There’s also a PDF of the Parks and Rec summer book on the website. The document date? 4/20/09.
Seems like the board appointed her BEFORE they officially appointed her, which I’d think is a violation of NY open meeting law.
Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but I think it’s a great example of how with a 100% Republican town board, the meetings really happen in a private back room, then they come out in public for 20 minutes twice a month to make everything official.
Honest communication is a progressive value. Open government is a goal of progressive governance.
Nice investigative work there!
Related posts:
The same thing happened in Grease when Auberger appointed O’Keefe (silence of the whisperer’s attorney) to the Board. Before she was sworn in, the minutes were already typed and distributed where her nay/yay votes clearly listed. A sharp eyed Greaser saved a special copy just for me.
Did they all call each other and discuss what to wear in advance? They look like they are on fire in that picture!
I thought the same thing. Is this a statement on their political affiliation? The men even have red ties on.
Oh, my eyes!! They burn!!
I thought realtors.
What?…No secret decoder lapel pin for the newbie?
Same old, same old. It’s just so darn funny that with the entire country, sans ultra Conservatives, going toward Dems that the Reps continue to play their games and think that the public will not see it. Guess that is due to too many years of getting away with garbage dumping on the public…they think they are omnipotent!
[...] Monroe County Republicans in orange jumpsuits instead of the classic red (as noted yesterday in btp’s Open Meeting piece) is a provocative dream as the investigation into the Rob-u-trad scandal widens. The D&C [...]