Today, towns, cities, the Legislature and school committees are Zooming their meetings. Zoom provides elected officials with greater interaction with the people they serve. Zoom meetings break down the barriers for citizens who are unable to attend in-person meetings and gives people a chance to participate.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Kennebec County commissioners’ website to find information on how to Zoom their upcoming meeting. On their agenda was the notice “meeting is in-person only.”
It is important to note that the commissioners increase annual property taxes to raise millions of dollars for their budget. Currently, the commissioners are in the process of determining how to spend $23 million awarded to Kennebec County through the American Rescue Plan. Shouldn’t constituents have input regarding how these funds are allocated? Additionally, the State Police are reducing rural coverage. How will this reduction impact Kennebec County?
I can find no reasonable excuse for excluding constituents from these meetings by refusing to allow them access to zoom. Meeting minutes are inadequate because they become public after decisions are made.
Commissioners: Let your constituents participate. Zoom your meetings.
Joe Pietroski
Winthrop
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