The use of Executive Session has been manifestly abused by the Bar Harbor Town Council. The newly composed council ought not repeat the misdeeds of its predecessor. Especially as Val Peacock continues as Council Chair. Under her leadership government secrecy has eclipsed even lip service to government transparency, forcing citizens to file Freedom of Access Act requests to try to get information which should have been openly available from the start.
A much needed reform of codes of conduct and codes of ethics should severely restrict the use of Executive Sessions. Bar Harbor Town Councilors' knee jerk scuttling behind closed doors is bad governance. In Bar Harbor it has become a reflexive bad habit - a bad default setting.
Rule by clique may be the sort of thing newly elected councilor and long time insider Earl Brechlin is comfortable with, but new voices on the council should resist these bad old ways.
The use of Executive Session has been manifestly abused by the Bar Harbor Town Council. The newly composed council ought not repeat the misdeeds of its predecessor. Especially as Val Peacock continues as Council Chair. Under her leadership government secrecy has eclipsed even lip service to government transparency, forcing citizens to file Freedom of Access Act requests to try to get information which should have been openly available from the start.
A much needed reform of codes of conduct and codes of ethics should severely restrict the use of Executive Sessions. Bar Harbor Town Councilors' knee jerk scuttling behind closed doors is bad governance. In Bar Harbor it has become a reflexive bad habit - a bad default setting.
Rule by clique may be the sort of thing newly elected councilor and long time insider Earl Brechlin is comfortable with, but new voices on the council should resist these bad old ways.