HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES POLICY 7-20-1983Selectmen Is
Policy on Minutes
of Meetings
INTRODUCTION
The Selectmen of the Torn of Mansfield are the Board of Directors
of the legal Corporation which constitutes the Town. As such they are
responsible for conducting the official business of the Town as outlined
in the Town Charter.
In addition to those legal responsibilities which are outlined in
the Town Charter and in the Massachusetts General Laws the Selectmen, in
our democratic society, have an obligation to maintain a full and accurate
set of the Minutes of their meetings to assure a fully informed public at
all times.
To meet those legal, ethical, and democratic standards for government
operations the Selectmen of the Town of Mansfield hereby adopt the following
guidelines and policies on Meeting Minutes.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Hearings in a democratic society provide a mechanism whereby the
general public is provided the opportunity and means to express individual
and /or collective views on a given issue to come before the Selectmen.
Because such testimony can be used, and often is used as evidence in
legal and quasi -legal proceedings(courts, state and county commissions, etc.)
there must be an accurate and permanent record of any public hearing.
All public hearings should be tape recorded unless a stenographic record
of testimony is taken. To assure accurate and permanent records of public
hearings it is adviseable to do both.
Testimony at public hearings will follow in the order specified by the
Board with each witness providing his or her full name, and residential ad-
dress, and any other pertinent or relevant information such as titles or
office positions held(e.g. State Representative, Department Head, etc.)
I A typewritten transcript of all public hearings should be developed and
available to the Selectmen and the public at the earliest possible opportunity.
Documents provided as testimony will be made attachments to the transcript.
Selectmen's Policy on - 2 -
Minutes of Meetings
REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS
Because the actions and deliberations developed at regularly scheduled
meetings of the Board of Selectmen can, and often are, used as evidence in
legal proceedings the Minutes of such meetings should reflect the topic under
discussion, capsulize the salient factors developed in the discussion by the
Selectmen and other participants, and accurately reflect any Motions and Votes
taken on such items.
To assure complete clarity and accuracy of the Minutes, and to further
accurately reflect the positions developed by each participant on any item
deemed to be of significance or importance by any Selectman, the Chairman of
the Board of Selectmen will extend to each Selectman the opportunity to have
the Minutes reflect his or her verbatim remarks at the time of the meeting.
Documents offered in support of discussion will be made attachments to
the Minutes.
Amendments to the Minutes of the Board of Selectmen will be accomplished
in accordance with normal parliamentary procedures.