Monday, April 7, 2008

Safe Bet!

Tonight’s Select Board “reorganization” will see Gerry Weiss retain his exalted title, actually both of them: ‘Chair of the Board’ and ‘His Lordship.’

5 comments:

O'Reilly said...

I would say you get to decide on the later but how is the former determined? Is it by vote of the five members? I will not be surprised if Stein does not concede it. You going?

Who will be keeping the detail meeting notes now that Stefanie has won election? They really ought to hire a court stenographer for $100 bucks.

Larry Kelley said...

Majority vote of the five decides the Chair, then they vote Vice-Chair, then Coffee Gofer.

No I had to teach a Spin class so Monday's are tough for me. And tomorrow night I have both a 7/4 Parade meeting and the first meeting of Amherst Redevelopment Authority since the election.

Considering each Select board member is only paid $300 for the entire year I don't think they will be coming up with a $100 per meeting (40-45 per year) for a stenographer.

Stephanie can always start a new blog: "My Select Board Experience"

O'Reilly said...

The town has approaching 8 million a year for fire and ambulance. Having a stenographer at select board meeting is hardly a stretch. I see Stephanie is the designated clerk although I don;t know the official duties of that assignment.

Alisa V. Brewer said...

Let's bear in mind that until I persuaded my colleagues to see the light last year, the Town Manager was taking the Select Board meeting Minutes! Apparently a tradition that began when former town manager had to make cuts during a different downturn. And more than one volunteer has since complained that we are now having a staff person (from Select Board/Town Manager office) come take the Select Board Minutes (in exchange for comp time), rather than having the Select Board members themselves take turns like many other Town committees and boards do(!).

As staff has more time to actually post the approved Minutes to the Town website, you'll see more content than has existed in quite awhile -- for some time the only thing that appeared in the Minutes were the actual votes. But it will never compare with what Stephanie did:-(

The official secretary/clerk role has been to sign a couple documents a year. Stephanie has generously volunteered to review the Minutes prepared by staff before the rest of us get a shot at picking them apart, which should enable us to get them approved -- and then posted online -- quicker from here on out.

Larry Kelley said...

Well I'm glad you cleared that up Alisa...Thanks!

I KNEW there was a reason I shoulda voted for Stephanie. As Cinda Jones would say, "She rocks!" (although Cinda may have used that line about you during last year's campaign)