April 2, 2008
The Bridgewater Selectmen have moved their next meeting off by a day (to Wednesday April 9th) to allow time for Mark Oliari and perhaps Herb Lemon to attend next week's Raynham Selectmen's Meeting. With Bridgewater Town Meeting set for May 5th, and an announced deadline of April 15th to have materials to the printer, the Selectmen are not allowing much time to develop, discuss and finalize the FY2009 budget proposal.
Delaying next week's planned meeting by even a day seems an interesting choice by the Chair Mark Oliari, especially when it was reported in today's Taunton Gazette that this plan received a "chilly" response from the Raynham Selectmen. Perhaps Chair Oliari just plans to show up and watch the Raynham Selectmen's Meeting - because if he is not on the agenda, of course he will not be able to speak! Oh wait, that is only in Bridgewater where the Selectmen Chair chooses who can speak and never allows the public to speak. In Raynham, the Selectmen are always professional and respectful of the public - allowing and encouraging public engagement in the legislative process.
Selectmen reject joint meeting
By Tim Faulkner, Taunton Gazette Staff Writer
GateHouse News Service [Posted Apr 01, 2008 @ 11:05 PM]
BRIDGEWATER — Bridgewater Selectman Chairman Mark Oliari has invited himself to a meeting with the Board of Selectmen in Raynham next week to discuss the school budget, but members of the Raynham board aren’t rolling out the welcome mat.
“I’ve recommended that meeting not take place,” said Selectman Donald McKinnon after Tuesday’s Board of Selectman meeting in Raynham.
Selectman Chairman John Donahue said Oliari called him Monday to arrange the meeting, but the idea was not warmly received.
“We’re open to collaboration when the time is right,” Donahue said.
Nevertheless, Oliari informed his fellow selectmen Tuesday he is moving next week’s meeting to Wednesday to give him a chance to travel to Raynham next Tuesday to “sit down one on one” with the other town’s selectmen and discuss the $57 million regional school budget.
“At least they see where we are coming from,” he said.
But the Raynham selectmen say the gesture is an attempt to appear conciliatory ahead of the April 26 election.
McKinnon said, to be fair, the selectmen would have to invite the two candidates running against Oliari for his spot as selectman.
“This isn’t the right time,” McKinnon said.
Oliari’s fellow selectmen were equally as perplexed by the gesture.
Selectman Dennis Gallagher suggested the Bridgewater selectmen work on the town budget before trying to talk about the school budget with Raynham.
“I think we need to discuss the budget as a board,” he said. “[We] at least should be unified before we meet with Raynham.”
With a town meeting in May, Selectmen Herb Lemon cautioned, “time is dangerously close to meet that deadline.”
“At least they can see where we are coming from,” Oliari replied.
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