Attorney General's Office Has Concerns About Selectmen's Communication

The Attorney General’s office has some serious concern when it comes to the selectmen’s practice of communicating through the town administrator outside of meetings.

In a letter obtained by the Patriot Ledger to James Claypoole, a former member of the town’s veterans committee, Assistant Attorney General Hanne Rush said that the board was reminded that communications between a quorum of members through a person such as a town administrator is not allowed by the open meeting law.

The office, however, will not investigate the complaint since it was not filed within 30 days of the alleged violation.

On Friday, Selectmen Chairman Paul Healey said he believed there was not a violating, adding that the law makes it hard for the three-member board to do business.