From The Publisher: Keeping It Straight, Keeping It Inclusive
At a number of recent meetings of Town boards and commissions, the question of Conflicts of Interest has been raised. When should a board or commission member recuse themselves? Generally, Town officials have elected to interpret the term narrowly, applying it only to cases where an individual may be personally enriched as a direct result of that individual’s vote on a matter before the board or commission.
Others have suggested a much broader interpretation, as Conflicts of Interest may apply not only to actual self-serving conduct, but also to perceptions of misconduct, bias, or favoritism. Anything that would tend to undermine a board member’s or commissioner’s ability to render a fair, impartial and independent decision on matters before their board represents a conflict to those who take this broader view.
The question was raised recently regarding the appointment of the Building Committee, some of whose members serve on other state regulated committees and boards that will later be voting on this project. The commonly asked question is “How can they be unbiased in these matters if they already voted for them in another committee?” A number of the original appointees have stepped down or stepped aside as a result of this concern. Many in town had the same issue with the now disbanded Affordable Housing Plan Committee, in which public trust suffered as a result.
Selectman Scott Olson has raised the issue with the Board of Selectmen, advocating for the need to reach out to the entire community when appointing people to committees and boards that are not elected positions. He has suggested The Goshen News as a useful resource for communicating these openings to all town residents. Committee vacancies are generally not critical in the short-term, as many have alternates who can serve in the interim, and taking a little extra time to allow notices of opportunities to serve the Town to fit into The Goshen News monthly publication schedule has benefits that merit short delays in making those appointments. It also leads to fuller transparency and greater inclusion, as most Town residents won’t read weekly meeting minutes or look for these announcements on the town website or in the for-profit newspapers available only to those who pay for it.
Thank you to our Board of Selectmen for their positive reaction to Mr. Olson’s suggestion. The Goshen News is happy to post these announcements, in order to provide more Goshenites the opportunity to contribute their talents and time to help our town.
On another subject, December is a month of celebrations for many cultures, religions and other groups. Goshen is blessed to have a wide range of people from many walks of life, countries, religions, and political perspectives. One thing we all have in common is that we are ALL Goshenites and love our quiet town in the Northwest hills. Some may have different holidays or different ways of celebrating them, but in the spirit of inclusion, we wish everyone a very HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON. Perhaps you will have the opportunity to experience or learn about another culture, religion, country, etc. through their celebrations.
Be Merry, Healthy and Successful in the New Year and let us move forward together!
The Publisher
