Head banging

Some of you may have noticed that I've been a little tardy responding to phone calls and emails of late. The reason is my day job, which has kept me busy commuting (3-4 hours round-trip) off-Cape for much of August. It is also why I missed the first hour of the last selectmen's meeting on August 25.

This was a head banger of a meeting, i.e., I felt like I was banging my head against a wall.

We again had some interviews, and again I argued - and made a motion - that we should wait a week so the public had time to offer input. After all, I noted, when the meeting is advertised, it simply says that there will be interviews; the published agenda doesn't say who will be interviewed for which board/commission/committee.

Chairman Mustafa responded, "You do know there are just two applicants?"

I won't put words in other's mouths, but I interpret that question to mean, "We have to appoint these people because they are the only applicants for these two openings." Frankly, this is a silly excuse for not giving the public a chance to comment. Just because there are only enough applicants for the vacancies doesn't mean that the individuals are qualified, and waiting a week for public input is just good, common sense.

Other than that response, there was nothing. None of the other selectmen would even second the motion. Maybe they didn't agree with the motion, or maybe they just didn't want to go on the record as being opposed to giving the public an opportunity to comment; I don't know.

Regardless, I find it rather frustrating.