Editorial: In the right, but still wrong

Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:00

The town’s new Land Use Task Force may meet in private, keeping its meetings closed to the public. But that doesn’t mean it should.

The new task force is serving in an advisory role only, and therefore New York’s Open Meetings Law, to which more prominent committees and boards in town must adhere, does not apply to it. The town is not recommending an illegal action by proposing to have these meetings held in private.

But while it may be entirely legal, holding them in private would be wrong. This is a task force that has been mired in controversy since its inception, with claims that it has been created to loosen the wetlands law and manned by people with similar backgrounds but without a scientist or environmentalist. This group may not have the ability to enact law, but its recommendations regarding the wetlands law and land use regulations in general will likely hold much weight with the Town Board. Legally, the task force may only be considered advisory, but its decisions are important for the future of this town. The public should be aware of the processes and discussions in these meetings, not just the recommendations stemming from them.

In all likelihood, the task force will be ethical and thorough in its review of the existing laws and its final proposals to change them. But private meetings suggest the town wants to keep something secret — that it is hiding something — which may or may not be true but will only fuel the conspiracy theories that already exist. Otherwise, what purpose does having private meetings serve? They are not reviewing personnel or sensitive information. Perhaps, because of the controversy around the task force’s creation, town officials are worried these meetings will get out of hand with public input. But they do not have to be held in private to avoid that. There is no need to allow for public comment — even boards and commissions subject to the Open Meetings Law do not have to allow people to talk, just to let them attend.

The Town Board has blundered this task force from the start and continues to do so — the latest misstep occurred after one member resigned before the group ever met due to a potential conflict of interest. That was the perfect opportunity to add a scientist or environmentalist to fill that opening, but the board did nothing. Private meetings will simply create another needless headache for the Town Board.

Politics aside, these meetings need to be public because the results of them will likely have a profound impact on the town. The town has the law on its side — but just because you can do something, doesn’t always mean you should. Hold the meetings in public.