WGXC-90.7 FM
Columbia County supes meet in secret
Mar 16, 2011 9:40 pm
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="90" caption="Francesca Olsen. Photo from Register-Star website."]
[/caption]Francesca Olsen of the Register-Star wrote a bombshell of a story in her account on how members of the county Board of Supervisors have been meeting on a monthly basis at the Chatham Town Hall to discuss county and regional issues purposefully away from the public eye. The Register-Star reporter's story was brought up during "@Issue" on WGXC, which she co-hosts with Victor Mendolia. Interviewing Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera and Hudson Common Council President Don Moore on the show, she explained the story, and got their responses. In the Register-Star story she also talked to Bob Freeman of the state’s Committee on Open Government, who confirmed that New York Open Meetings Law does not extend to supervisors meeting if there is no quorum of that public body. In Columbia County's terms, no more than 13, at which point public notice would have to be posted in local media. Olsen corroborated reports from several supervisors that between six and ten supervisors meet at once and they’re careful about not inviting too many to attend. Supervisors Ed Nabozny, I-Greenport, and Bill Hallenbeck, R-Hudson3, said they were invited but declined; William Hughes, D-Hudson4 has not been invited. Hillsdale Supervisor Art Baer, R-Hillsdale, said the meetings are “totally nonpolitical” and the supervisors discuss “issues the county is facing.” Click here to listen to clip of Francesca Olsen explaining her story in Register-Star on "@Issue" program on WGXC.
[/caption]Francesca Olsen of the Register-Star wrote a bombshell of a story in her account on how members of the county Board of Supervisors have been meeting on a monthly basis at the Chatham Town Hall to discuss county and regional issues purposefully away from the public eye. The Register-Star reporter's story was brought up during "@Issue" on WGXC, which she co-hosts with Victor Mendolia. Interviewing Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera and Hudson Common Council President Don Moore on the show, she explained the story, and got their responses. In the Register-Star story she also talked to Bob Freeman of the state’s Committee on Open Government, who confirmed that New York Open Meetings Law does not extend to supervisors meeting if there is no quorum of that public body. In Columbia County's terms, no more than 13, at which point public notice would have to be posted in local media. Olsen corroborated reports from several supervisors that between six and ten supervisors meet at once and they’re careful about not inviting too many to attend. Supervisors Ed Nabozny, I-Greenport, and Bill Hallenbeck, R-Hudson3, said they were invited but declined; William Hughes, D-Hudson4 has not been invited. Hillsdale Supervisor Art Baer, R-Hillsdale, said the meetings are “totally nonpolitical” and the supervisors discuss “issues the county is facing.” Click here to listen to clip of Francesca Olsen explaining her story in Register-Star on "@Issue" program on WGXC.