{"id":102,"date":"2019-12-15T20:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T20:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/?p=102"},"modified":"2019-12-30T20:51:10","modified_gmt":"2019-12-30T20:51:10","slug":"norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/","title":{"rendered":"Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A Working Group of public officials, formed in November by the Norwich Selectboard, is apparently not giving public notice of its meetings or posting meeting minutes. This failure seemingly violates Vermont&#8217;s Open Meeting Law. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The group, known as the the Town Facilities Working Group, is to make recommendations to the Selectboard later this month regarding $4 million in improvements to Town buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. The ambitious goal is to have an Article on the ballot at Town Meeting in March. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At $4 million, the project is likely the largest public works project ever undertaken by the Town. In comparison, the contract to construct the Public Safety Building had a <a href=\"http:\/\/norwich.vt.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Final-minutes-060717.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">price of nearly $1.3 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Open Meeting Law applies to any &#8220;public body.&#8221; The statute gives that term a broad definition at <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.vermont.gov\/statutes\/section\/01\/005\/00310\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 V.S.A \u00a7 310(4)<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;Public body&#8221; means any board, council, or commission of the State or one or more of its political subdivisions, any board, council, or commission of any agency, authority, or instrumentality of the State or one or more of its political subdivisions, or any committee of any of the foregoing boards, councils, or commissions, except that &#8220;public body&#8221; does not include councils or similar groups established by the Governor for the sole purpose of advising the Governor with respect to policy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Town Facilities Working Group was created by the Selectboard at its <a href=\"http:\/\/norwich.vt.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Final-minutes-112019.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">November 20th meeting<\/a> and includes two Selectboard members, three Energy Committee members, two Finance Committee members, and the Town Manager, all elected or appointed public officials.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How is this not a public body?&nbsp; Even if arguably not a public body, the better practice, to me at least, is to err in favor of transparency. Openness is fundamentals to good government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I doubt there&#8217;s any nefarious motive involved. However, it is important that small town government not get indifferent or careless in its approach to public notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally posted on HereCast on December 15, 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Working Group of public officials, formed in November by the Norwich Selectboard, is apparently not giving public notice of its meetings or posting meeting minutes. This failure seemingly violates Vermont&#8217;s Open Meeting Law. The group, known as the the Town Facilities Working Group, is to make recommendations to the Selectboard later this month regarding $4 million in improvements to Town buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. The ambitious goal is to have an Article on the ballot at Town <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency<\/span><span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-open-meeting-law"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Norwich &#039;Working Group&#039; Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Norwich &#039;Working Group&#039; Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Working Group of public officials, formed in November by the Norwich Selectboard, is apparently not giving public notice of its meetings or posting meeting minutes. This failure seemingly violates Vermont&#8217;s Open Meeting Law. The group, known as the the Town Facilities Working Group, is to make recommendations to the Selectboard later this month regarding $4 million in improvements to Town buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. The ambitious goal is to have an Article on the ballot at Town Continue reading  Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency&rarr;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Norwich Observer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CTK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CTK\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"CTK\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\"},\"headline\":\"Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":329,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Open Meeting Law\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/\",\"name\":\"Norwich 'Working Group' Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/15\\\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Norwich Observer\",\"description\":\"Occasional news and commentary about local government in Norwich, VT\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\",\"name\":\"CTK\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"caption\":\"CTK\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/author\\\/ctk\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Norwich 'Working Group' Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Norwich 'Working Group' Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer","og_description":"A Working Group of public officials, formed in November by the Norwich Selectboard, is apparently not giving public notice of its meetings or posting meeting minutes. This failure seemingly violates Vermont&#8217;s Open Meeting Law. The group, known as the the Town Facilities Working Group, is to make recommendations to the Selectboard later this month regarding $4 million in improvements to Town buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. The ambitious goal is to have an Article on the ballot at Town Continue reading  Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency&rarr;","og_url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/","og_site_name":"Norwich Observer","article_published_time":"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00","author":"CTK","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CTK","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/"},"author":{"name":"CTK","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d"},"headline":"Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency","datePublished":"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/"},"wordCount":329,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Open Meeting Law"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/","name":"Norwich 'Working Group' Fails In Transparency - Norwich Observer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-12-15T20:45:00+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-30T20:51:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/15\/norwich-working-group-fails-in-transparency\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Norwich &#8216;Working Group&#8217; Fails In Transparency"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/","name":"Norwich Observer","description":"Occasional news and commentary about local government in Norwich, VT","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d","name":"CTK","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","contentUrl":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","caption":"CTK"},"url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/author\/ctk\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions\/104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}