The town’s attorney, Stewart Barroll, cannot represent both the Waterfront Task Force and the Town Council in an Open Meetings Act complaint filed by the Kent County News, so the Task Force members will be represented by their own counsel at the expense of the town, said Chestertown Town Manager Bill Ingersoll on Thursday.
Charles “Chip” MacLeod of Funk and Bolton will represent the Task Force.
“It is a basic concept that citizens assisting the Town in public activities should not have to be concerned with public liability for performing such services,” Ingersoll wrote in an email to the Spy on Thursday. “The Open Meetings decision concerning the Waterfront Task Force determined that the Task Force was a public body subject to the Act. In a filing subsequent to the original complaint, the Town Council itself was named as violating the Act by virtue of its members attending the opening meeting [last March] of the Waterfront Task Force as their guests. The Town Attorney has recommended that the members of the Task Force, which is no longer in existence, be represented by an attorney, and that it could be a conflict for him to serve in that capacity and as Town counsel (responding to the latest, pending Open Meetings complaint). Therefore, the Town has appointed an interim special counsel to assist any Task Force members until the Town Council can meet concerning this matter.”
All seven members of the Task Force resigned last week in the wake of a complaint and a subsequent Freedom of Information Request from the Kent County News–seeking all the communications of Task Force members since October of 2013, which also included communications between then Mayor Margo Bailey and members of the Task Force.
Another issue arose from the Open Meetings Act complaint when KCN learned that a majority of the council had met behind closed doors with Task Force at their initial meeting in March.
Eliott Fuhrman says
Editor,
Use this law firm they are great. On top off their game. They will do a very good job.
Stephan Sonn says
Editor,
It was a benevolent cadre that violated the law. It may have been the town’s last chance to revitalize and improve.
I can think of one party that is pleased with the negative result. Typical spoiler.
Small wonder this is not the college town it should be. Somebody took a trophy from the scene.
Chuck Reeser says
Editor,
Maybe I’m not understanding all of this. From what I gather, this was a study group to explore possibilities of improving the town, and then they, the Task force, would present their ideas to the public for review. It’s not like we were being duped by a hidden agenda. I’ve heard people say it’s to benefit the wealthy. Seems like a lot of paranoia floating around.
I’ve been here in town since 1992 and thought the relationship between the town and the college was odd. I think it’s long over do.