Cohasset Select Board Debates Policy on Administrative Requests

Board members clash over proposal to limit individual requests to town employees

COHASSET, MA - October 15 - The Cohasset Select Board engaged in a heated debate Tuesday night over a proposed policy that would restrict individual board members from making administrative requests of town employees without full board approval.

The discussion centered on an amendment to the Cohasset Select Board Handbook and Protocols, which states: "No member of the board by virtue of their office will exercise any administrative responsibility or request the services of any town employee unless so designated by the majority of the select board with respect to the town and its daily operational functions."

Proponents argued the policy would prevent individual members from monopolizing town resources or reprioritizing activities without board consensus.

"What it does is it prevents any single Select Board member from dominating town hall activities without input from the rest of the board," said board member Chris Plecs.

Board member Paul Grady added, "It doesn't prevent anyone from running rogue and taking over town hall and potentially hurting morale and people that are just working for the town for a living."

However, some board members expressed concerns about the policy's potential to restrict information flow and hinder their ability to serve constituents.

"When I was elected, people elected me because I would ask questions. And they wanted a voice of the citizens that was relatively free," said board member Jack Creighton. "It's very clear that there's a sense in town hall of let's put the bunkers up. Let's not let those dirty, unwashed people, the citizens privy to the information of government."

Board member David Farrag raised practical concerns about the policy's implementation, citing examples where it could impede routine inquiries and information gathering.

"If I get a constituent call where someone asks me, where are they on the paving list for their particular street? And then I send an email to the Town Manager and Brian Joyce and say, I've received this call from say Mr. and Mrs. Smith and they wanna know where they are. Could you please pull the list and let me know or forward the list so that we can forward it to that person and put them on a CC. That would violate this policy," Farrag explained.

Despite the objections, the board voted 3-2 to approve the amendment, with Creighton and Farrag dissenting.

In other business, the board addressed the issue of several expired town leases, including those for the Cohasset Maritime Institute and Lighthouse Keepers.

Town Manager Chris Senior reported that all but two of the town's seven leases are current. The two expired leases, for a boathouse dating back to the 1990s and the Lighthouse Keepers property, are being prioritized for renewal.

"We're renewing those licenses now. So when you have a good business and you do a good job, it's hard to leave it," Senior said.

The board aims to issue new Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for these properties within the next three to six months. Senior emphasized the need to work collaboratively with the organizations involved.

"The biggest challenge is that CSCR is there's been grave concerns about the physical construction of them. So the town has intervened," Senior explained, referring to one of the leased properties. "And again, this has all been done in a very productive, collaborative way without drama to help support community organizations and to make sure the town's investments have been protected."

Board members expressed support for addressing the expired leases promptly, with Farrag noting the potential liability issues, particularly for the Lighthouse Keepers property where events involving alcohol are held.

"Where it's not under agreement, and since it's expired, the town has a lot more liability because we don't have any indemnification with them," Farrag said.

The board agreed to revisit the lease issue in the coming months as the town prepares to issue RFPs for the expired properties.

In other news, Senior announced the hiring of Shannon MacKenzie as the new town accountant, starting next Monday. MacKenzie brings experience from her previous role as town accountant in Dedham and holds certifications in government accounting and public procurement.