Nass: Expect an answer in some way, shape or form

Richard Nass...'Everyone should have their say'

ACTON - It’s doubtful selectmen will stonewall any questions at this year’s Town Hearing on the Warrant.

“I expect them to answer it in some way,” said Richard Nass, who will serve as moderator at this year’s public hearing, which will be held on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Lebanon Elementary School.

Nass, who served as a state Senator in Augusta for eight years, is well versed in parliamentary procedure and said he’d be boning up on his knowledge between now and Monday.

He said that it is to be expected that selectmen might not be able to answer every question asked of them, but if they can’t, he expects them to give an explanation as to why, whether it be privileged information or that they just don’t know the answer without further study.

At past Town Hearings on the Warrant Articles, former moderator and Town Attorney Alan Shepard would announce before the meeting started that selectmen could opt not to answer a question with no explanation. They did so twice in May 2012 during the administration of Selectmen Bob Frizzell, Ronal Patch and now-Selectmen Chair Karen Gerrish. (See “Selectmen comment” story published May 13)

Nass, who often serves as moderator during Town Meetings in his hometown of Acton, said he would be running the meeting based on town moderator rules.

“A lot of the rules I will apply will deal with decorum, how to keep order and to allow people to speak,” he said on Wednesday.

He said he was aware that, as in most meetings, there are some questions that might be contentious, and he plans to have briefings with selectmen and others to make sure that those who want to be heard will be heard.

“The point is everybody should have their say,” he said. “If they’re not happy with what they hear, they can always vote against it (in June).”