Under Pressure, Selectmen Meet in Public -- Sort Of

The board of selectmen in Charlton, Mass., should be commended for conducting its evaluation of the town administrator in an open meeting. It did not have a lot of choice, as the Telegram & Gazette reports. Complaints filed by the newspaper against the town last year resulted in a ruling by the Worcester County district attorney that the selectmen violated the open meeting law in 2007 and 2008 when it conducted the administrator's evaluations behind closed doors.

One member of the board, however, was not comfortable with the idea of speaking in public about her unsatisfactory evaluation of the administrator. Selectman Kathleen Walker got clearance from the town counsel to meet privately with the administrator to discuss her evaluation.

One step forward, one step back.