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Should elected municipal officials meet outside of public meetings to discuss town business?

That question has taken the spotlight after a sitting town councilor in Winslow has come forward to claim that his fellow councilors have been holding “secret meetings” at the chairman’s private property to talk about town issues.

According to open meeting law, that sort of gathering is considered illegal once a quorum of councilors are present talking about town issues. In Winslow’s case, that would be four of the seven councilors.

Winslow’s chairman denies that a quorum of councilors has met outside of official meetings to talk town business, but he admits that smaller groups have legally done so and that it’s necessary in order to tackle complex community issues beyond the few hours of time at official meetings.

State Freedom of Access Act law goes on to say that it is the Legislature’s intent “that clandestine meetings, conferences or meetings held on private property without proper notice and ample opportunity for attendance by the public not be used to defeat the purposes of this subchapter.”

In other words, the public has a right to attend deliberations by the council, not just votes.

But what do you think? Should elected municipal officials meet outside of public meetings to discuss town business? Tell us in the poll and comments below.

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