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Selectmen take more flak over new meeting bylaws that end workshop videotaping

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Milton selectmen, from left, Andy Lucier, Erin Hutchings and Ryan Thibeault react as they are grilled by budget committee member Thomas McDougall over new meeting bylaws approved by the board. (Youtube image)

MILTON - Milton's Board of Selectmen was sharply criticized on Monday over their decision to end videotaping of selectmen's workshops.

Budget committee member Thomas McDougall, who also heads up the effort to videotape selectmen's meetings, said not videotaping the meetings undercuts the public's trust and flies in the face of transparency of government.

Selectmen Chair Ryan Thibeault was quick to point out that it was a board decision with Erin Hutchings adding her support of the new cameraless format at workshops.

"It's easier to have conversation, we're bouncing ideas back and forth," Hutchings said. 'And some of the things aren't what we would want to openly say to people."

Hutchings added that much of her concern was selectmen's discussion and Facebook posts that might upset some townfolk, a remark that seemed to irk McDougall.

"So you don't want to record because it's a public meeting and you're afraid you're going to hurt someone's feelings?" he quipped.

"I'm not scared we're going to hurt people's feelings," Hutchings replied. "I just don't think it's the proper ... I mean I look at Facebook and some of the stuff's that's on there ... and the comments that are made and how people react to those comments and their feelings are hurt."

Thibeault agreed.

"I've gotten flak many times about having conversations that people weren't too happy about, because we can't do it in nonpublic and it was recorded," he reasoned. "It's not that anything's trying to be hidden from people, but unfortunately when you're trying to solve issues it takes some discussion and you hit some sensitive areas of different people. I don't think it's always the best to have it on camera and blast it all over the Internet ... Anyone can come in and sit and listen."

Much of the discussion focused on a workshop held just prior to Monday's selectmen's meeting regarding a Scenic Byway project currently under study. During the meeting members of the selectboard and scenic byway board opined on whether some neighborhoods should be included based on their "scenic" value.

But McDougall, who went to the workshop, said he was now interested in the Scenic Byway, and he wouldn't have been if he hadn't come. He added that if you don't show people what's going on, how are they going to get involved?

"It sounds like to me that what you're saying is 'We don't want people to know what we're doing,'" a sentiment selectmen vehemently denied.

McDougall also pointed out that the number of vacancies on town boards should be a wakeup call that selectmen need to get the townspeople energized, and not making it easy for the public to view videotape of the meetings, including workshops, is not part of that equation.

The back and forth ended with a frustrated McDougall adding that ending videotaping of all selectmen's meetings, be they Monday meeting or Thursday workshop, is "taking a step backward, not forward."

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