Thursday, November 29, 2012
Dozens of Barrington officials are told at a Local Government Workshop: 'You are the government' to most people, which requires following a separate of rules to protect the public interest.
Dozens of Barrington’s public officials were told on Wednesday evening, Nov. 28, that most people “see you as the government.” “You will be their only contact ever in most cases,” said Andrew Teitz, an assistant solicitor for Barrington. He spoke at the Local Government Workshop on open meetings, ethics and public records in the Barrington library auditorium. Elected and appointed officials, therefore, must follow a set of rules that are separate than those for the public. “You have the legal authority to protect the public interest,” Teitz said in a rambling presentation and question-and-answer session titled “Your Role as a Public Official.” “A lot of requirements overlap,” he said. “And you must meet all of them.” Ethical behavior, for …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
A Local Government Workshop will be held Wednesday evening, Nov. 28, for the volunteers who serve on Barrington's boards and all department heads.
A crash course on municipal governing and ethics will be presented to the dozens of volunteers who serve on Barrington's boards and commissions and all town department heads tomorrow evening, Nov. 28. The Local Government Workshop will run from 6 to 8:30 pm in the Barrington Public Library auditorium. Rhode Island's public records and open meetings laws will be a particular focus. "We want to make sure that those who volunteer, in particular, get the training they need," said Town Councilor Cynthia Coyne, the event coordinator. "Those who serve need the tools to do the job so people get the open government they are entitled to." For the 75 or so officials who attended a previous government workshop in March of 2011, Coyne said, it will be …
Friday, November 16, 2012
Another workshop on ethics, public records and open meetings laws for volunteer board members and Barrington department heads will be held on Nov. 28.
The dozens of volunteer members of Barrington’s board and commissions and every town department head will get a course in ethics and Rhode Island's public records and open meetings laws on Nov. 28. The Local Government Workshop will run from 6 to 8:30 pm in the Barrington Public Library auditorium, said Town Councilor Cynthia Coyne, who is organizing the event. Outgoing Town Councilor Jeff Brenner will serve as moderator. "We want to make sure that those who volunteer, in particular, get the training they need," Coyne said. "Those who serve need the tools to do the job so people get the open government they are entitled to." For those 75 people who attended the previous government workshop in March of 2011, Coyne said, it will be very …
