Several members have filed complaints with the Attorney Generals office concerning the legality of the Closed meeting that the Water Commission held on August 30, 2010 after the Water Rally. The meeting was closed and an exemption from the closed meeting law was cited as a reason but none of the exemptions were met for a public body to have a closed meeting including the one cited to discuss the reputation or potential firing of an individual in a closed meeting.
In the tape that was released members of BUV could hear that the board members talked about one particular member who has been proactive in trying to explain to residents with $100,000 bills how this situation blew up and was not a perfect storm of catastrophe but a man made disaster. They used the closed door exemption of reprimanding an employee but the commission members are appointed and are not employees, they are the ones that are the watchdog for the water department and make recommendation's.
On the tape you can hear them talk about how to handle the bad publicity they are receiving and hear Jody Hickey saying she felt “thrown under the bus,” by Quinn. Patrick Quinn has been the only member who has been trying to help the public and educate the residents and make the government more transparent. Margaret McGrath can be heard asking Quinn if he has a hidden agenda."Do you want blood" she asked Quinn.
Being thrown under the bus and wanting blood is what the 4 members of the Water Commission have done to the residents of Brockton and those are the questions they need to ask the water department and not a member who is trying to help the public.As for having a hidden agenda, all that can be said about that is member Ossie Jordan who was appointed the sole spokes person is heard saying on the tape "I would not want what we just were doing here tonight in the newspaper for any reason". The only people who seem to have a HIDDEN AGENDA are the 4 members of the Water Commission who wanted to silence an outspoken member who wanted to do his job and help the public and now we have an official spoke person who doesn't want what is said being given to the public.
Also on the tape you can hear member Bruce Malcolm referring to another city department that allegedly gets around the open meeting law. “They do it; it’s done in the city every month. That doesn’t meet the Open Meeting Law, but they do it.”
The 4 members of the water commission seemed more interested in solving their media relations problems and silencing a member who is proactive than helping residents with their water billing issues to the point were they are willing to break rules. Its all right for them to do that, but if you have a high bill and don't understand and want help and are stressing out to the point of afraid of being thrown under a bus, please don't go to the water commission because they are apparently having meetings about:
1. Jodie's fear of being thrown under buses ( was it a group therapy session)
2. Margaret wants to give blood (you can donate at the blood bank, shortage of type O)
3. Bruce talking about someone doing it ( again I think either group or individual therapy)
4: Ossie not wanting information getting out while being on tape( this was a psychological trick, because if you listen to the tape their is a subliminal message and you will go to the water department and pay your bill, even if its $100,000, also reports of people going to the water department and just leaving blank checks)
You can listen to the tape at:
www.brocktonbeat.com
An article in the Enterprise about the closed meeting is on the web at:
http://www.enterprisenews.com/features/x427652114/Brockton-commission-muddies-water-rues-image
An article in the Brockton Post about the closed door meeting:
http://www.brocktonpost.com/2010_09_01_archive.html
The complaints have been filed and members should hear something this week from the water commission about the recommendation's and possibly having training for them and the public by the AGs office on closed door meetings.
