As each town appointee and elected official is sworn in, they receive a copy of the Open Meeting Law for which they are required to sign with the Town Clerk who maintains a signature log.
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When a Middleboro Resident rose to call it to the attention of the Board of Selectmen that they failed to include any indication in the Meeting Minutes that they had approved for the previous meeting that they had discussed the gifts they had received, all hell seemed to break loose!
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The Open Meeting Law isn't creative writing to allow Marsha Brunelle to interpret as she chooses.
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Marsha, you need to go back and read the law and not depend on your sometimes foggy memory. You were incorrect in your comments. And Marsha, you may recall that you were wrong when you discussed the Fire Chief/Police Chief thing in Executive Session. You wrongly believed you only had to hold the vote in public. You violated the Open Meeting Law then and you misquoted it now.
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And Marsha, let's not get all huffy about having to hear about issues endlessly when you have more important things to do. I was the one who said during the last election that too much time was being spent on your casino obsession (that isn't coming!) and not enough attention was focused on the budget disaster that I foresaw 2 years ago that is now upon us.
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Steven Spataro, who is up for re-election in April, was irate at the accusation questioning his integrity, even though he had failed to inform himself of the Ethics statutes.
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The fact is that Mr. Spataro received gifts, participated in social events of a business partner of the Town. He hadn't even bothered to investigate the dollar limit of the statute. Mr. Spataro didn't return those gifts until he was told to do so.
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As a footnote, the Tribe was believed to be a 'business partner' of the Town, but Carcieri v Kempthorne has just dashed their hopes! There will be NO CASINO in Middleboro! The Dreams That You Dare To Dream...
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Marsha Brunelle, Middleboro's own Gavel Queen, indicated that she had reviewed the statute and the limit was $50, but was cumulative, seeming to indicate that it would include all the little incidentals, like maybe a few free meals that the Tribe has provided, and maybe some limo service, and maybe who knows what else since they are convinced they've done nothing wrong.
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Mrs. Duphily was assured by Town Counsel that there was no "Conflict of Interest."
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Mimi, Hon, did you think to ask Town Counsel if by accepting gifts and free meals you might be violating certain Ethics rules? Instead of wasting taxpayer money by asking Town Counsel each time you do questionable things, you can call the Ethics Commission yourself. They have attorneys on duty to answer your questions. Or better yet, you might consider reading the information that's posted on their web site first. This isn't to pick on you, dear, but we all know you are a single issue candidate who really has no interest in anything other than the casino that we know isn't coming now! Did you think to ask Town Counsel about the conversation you had with Stephen Graham who appears about to be indicted?
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Give SCOTUS some hugs and kisses from Middleboro and the surrounding Towns for that decision!!!!!
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When residents of the Town ask questions and raise issues, even though as Steve Spataro would say they sit in the CHEAP SEATS, they deserve to be treated with respect and not irrational outbursts of Mr. Spataro's often seen temper.
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Mr. Spataro habitually arrived to BOS meetings late, until I sent a letter of protest to the BOS and to Mr. Spataro's home address (you may recall that he has a non-published phone number so he can't be bothered by voters, the press). Chairwoman Marsha Brunelle would waste everyone else's time recapping the meeting that Mr. Spataro had missed. It was rude, inconsiderate and not consistent with the BIG LEAGUES Mr. Spataro for bizarre reasons feels he is part of. Mr. Spataro has eaten his supper at meetings. Mr. Spataro has spent meetings text messaging.
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Give me a break! It's time to use your vote wisely in April and replace Mr. Spataro. If he had to be told to return gifts he received, he shouldn't be on the Board. And if he verbally attacked a voter for calling an error to his attention, the man's got an anger problem.
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When Pat Rogers feels the need to attack a voter with his 'your caliber' comment, Pat, you need an attitude re-adjustment!
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3 Members of Middleboro's Board of Selectmen conducted themselves in an unethical manner. They accepted gifts. They attended social functions. 2 of those members had private conversation with Stephen Graham regarding the conduct of Town business.
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This needs to stop and the Board needs to recognize their illegal conduct! Or let's replace them beginning in April.
.Middleboro deserves better!
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There will be NO CASINO IN MIDDLEBORO!!!!!
HOORAY!!!!!!!!!
Now, let's change the Board of Selectmen one at a time and elect qualified and competent candidates.
.Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #1
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #2
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #3
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #4
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #5
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #6
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As a footnote, anyone who didn't see this mess of pending indictments coming was pretty dumb. Check out Abramoff.
8 comments:
They wasted all this time and there's no casino!
Echo your sentiments -
HOORAY!
Marsha, you thought you were sick and tired before? OMG! Just wait!
SO what happens now with the money the town has already spent from the tribe? Does that get repaid or do we just send a thank you note for being such damn fools? Do we now get to terminate or shall we say lay off the SECOND planner that the planner needed for back up help? When can we begin to layoff police and fire fighters NOT needed for all these extra expected duties? All departments need to be hit hard with layoffs. This town can't afford to keep all these free riders that are totally unnecessay as well as useless to the benefit of the town. Has Pat taken the time YET to read any of the department heads and town employee contracts which have been realistically raping this town? There needs to be CUT BACKS in what is and is NOT given in contract agreements that's killing the taxpayers. Have any taxpayers taken the time to view legally the contracts department heads are blessed with at the expense of the taxpayers? It's worth the peek.
It used to be that no one attended meetings. Now that people are attending, asking questions, criticizing, they can't take the heat. Until you started criticizing them no one else did. Keep it up. The whole board needs to be replaced. You're right. One at a time.
and Christelo should be next.
not impresed
We can fix the *^@* dysfunctional Board of Selectmen one member at a time if we stop voting for idiots or single issues.
We got stuck with one certain current member of the board in the last election because she supported that project that's now HISTORY and will NEVER be.
She didn't get 50% of the vote.
She is like a guest at the Mad Hatters Tea Party and has no idea what's going on around her. Patrick Rogers avoided troubling her little head with the details of the Charter Commission that are posted on the Town's Web Site.
People need to remind their neighbors and friends of the date of the election and when candidates night is at the COA. Jane Lopes sponsors the event and it should be announced in the Gazette. Attend and come prepared to ask questions. Give it some thought and bring a list. Don't just sit at home and watch.
The last 2 bos meetings should have convinced you that these people need to be out of office.
3 people accepted gifts, free meals, limousine transportation, and we don't know what else, in violation of the law and got angry about it when they were asked. 2 people had private conversations with Steven Graham who is going to be indicted. He's the one who told Marshal how to break the law.
We can make a decision to put people with brains on the board who don't socialize with the towns partners or think it's ok. It's time to consider whether backroom deals that effect the entire region should be endorsed and promoted or if you want a voice.
By sending your comments to the addresses that Gladys posted, maybe questions will be asked as indictments move forward. There are questions that need to be asked and answered.
Office of Attorney General
Martha Coakley
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108
Office of the Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Secretary of the Department of the Interior
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
Massachusetts Ethics Commission
One Ashburton Place
John W. McCormack Building
Room 619 Boston, MA 02108
Board of Bar Overseers
99 High Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
We were out of state, so a friend taped the meeting for us. After I read your comments, watching was a priority even though we haven't unpacked.
We watched it last night and were so dumbfounded that I couldn't have commented.
When my husband went to work, I watched the portion of the meeting you referred to several times.
It is so offensive that I can't think of an appropriate comment.
I am left without words other than to ask who the hell these people think they are?
Is there anyway you can post that on You Tube so everyone can see?
I hope you mean taking a look at the G&E and water department contracts. Though they are a separate entity, they are still making lots of money. Why don't they have to give up any raises and give back to the ratepayers, How is their insurance policies? Are they the same or they better. A town employee either under general government or a town owned entity should all face the same sacrifices. No one should be left
behind!!! Everyone is considered a Town
Employee!!! Whats fair is fair!!!
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