In other words if you do not attend a Town Council meeting in person or the Town Council Chairman does not consent to adding your correspondence to the meeting minutes you have no voice in Town Government.
From: Michael Malaguti
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Good evening,
There is no statute, ordinance, or charter provision governing any attachments required to be appended to the Town Council’s minutes. The Council’s rules of procedure also do not require this.
In longstanding practice, those wishing to address the Council and the public have been required to attend Council meetings and speak in public comment. The Town Council Chairman has consistently and liberally permitted public comment, and has often lifted or relaxed time limitations in favor of full, meaningful public participation and input.
In extreme, extenuating circumstances, the Chairman, in his discretion, has relaxed this practice, as is his prerogative. In general, however, communications included in the minutes are those which occur in the Town Council Chambers, during meetings that are noticed well in advance, and aired on local access television and recorded for posterity. Our form of government is designed to occur in public for all to see, not in the shadows of social media or via email outside of public view.
If you have an extreme, extenuating circumstance, I would be happy to convey it to the Chairman for his consideration. In the absence of such a request, the official minutes of the Londonderry Town Council will not include every irrelevant, superfluous, inflammatory communication directed to this body.
While I recognize you may disagree with the Town’s position, this will be the Town’s only and final communication on this topic. You are of course free to revive the matter in public comment before the Town Council, but the Town will not be replying further.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Malaguti
Town Manager
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