Seekonk Town Administrator Takes Blame for Meeting Snafu
Pam Nolan says the error that led to the cancellation of the special Town Meeting "falls on my shoulders."
"Hundreds of people" saw the warrant for the special Town Meeting that was supposed to take place earlier this week, but they did not notice the document lacked the required information of the time and place for the session, Seekonk Town Administrator Pam Nolan said Wednesday at the board of selectmen meeting. But she said the ultimate blame for the error that caused the meeting to be canceled goes to her.
"When push comes to shove, it does fall on my shoulders," Nolan said. "I know that … how we missed it, I can't tell you. It was vetted many, many, many times."
Town Meeting was supposed to take place Monday at Seekonk High School. Among the items on the warrant were increased funding for the Banna Fire Station project as well as security improvements for the schools and a temporary move of the senior center. Talk of the warrant error was circulating through the community during the weekend. Hours before the session was supposed to begin, it was canceled.
Selectmen tentatively scheduled a make-up date of March 25. It is expected to be finalized Friday after Nolan speaks with Town Clerk Jan Parker. That date could be a conflict for Jewish Seekonk residents, as it is the first night of Passover, a holiday on which families have a special dinner and religious ceremony called a Seder.
Selectman Dave Parker said he did not see a reason to have the special meeting, and preferred to move the articles to the warrant for the next regular Town Meeting in June. School Committee Chair Mitch Vieira said it was important to have the meeting in March so residents could vote on the request for $127,000 to fix emergency personnel communication problems at the schools.
"We've put these communications issues out there now," Vieira said. "It's well known there is a vulnerability in the buildings and the hope is to get that done sooner rather than later."
deb of see-attleboro
6:15 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
It is also Holy Week for Christians. Although, I do not think it would be heresy for us to attend a town meeting on the last Monday of Lent.
However, if it does conflict with Jewish tradition, I think we should respect those residents by choosing .a different date.
Carol Bragg
1:58 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
deb of see-attleboro: I concur. We don't teach religious sensitivity by practicing religious insensitivity. It would be better to schedule the meeting on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday. It is the responsibility of the majority to protect the rights and sense of welcome-ness of the minority. Holding the meeting on the first night of Passover sends the wrong message about religious inclusiveness. If we're going to pledge allegiance to a flag that represents "one nation under God" when we start our town meetings, we need to honor and respect that people in Seekonk worship God in different ways.
deb of see-attleboro
3:15 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Carol: Would it really "be better to schedule the meeting on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday"? Isn't that equally disrespectful?
Carol Bragg
5:54 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
deb of see-attleboro: My point is that it's better for the majority to disrespect their own religious traditions rather than to disrespect minority religious traditions. It's better yet to respect all traditions. If the Selectmen are not familiar with other traditions, that's understandable. But once they are provided with the facts, one hopes they will reconsider. It's not right to say to the Jewish residents of Seekonk that we really don't care whether they attend Town Meeting or that they have to make a choice between their faith tradition and participating in Town Meeting, often described as the purest form of democracy.
deb of see-attleboro
6:48 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
I think the majority has been disrespecting their own religious traditions for decades. YIPEE!!:(
Carol Bragg
6:57 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
You're right, of course. Whether it's disrespect or hide in the closet, I'm not sure.
Carol Bragg
9:24 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Town Administrator Pam Nolan deserves our thanks and appreciation for acknowledging her responsibility for the mistake. I, for one, deeply appreciate that. We all make mistakes because we're only human. Gandhi was fond of saying that when we point a finger at others, we have three fingers pointing back at ourselves. If we took our faith traditions seriously, we would never rejoice in the mistakes of others but instead always work for each other's success. It's true that we're tied together in a single garment of destiny, as a great civil rights leader said. We rise or fall together.
David Saad
10:19 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Ms. Nolan leads off with, "hundreds of people saw this," is another demonstration of her inability to take the blame for causing confusion and disappointment to a lot of people. We still don't know why this town lost the ability to process passports as the blame game again from the TA's office pointed fingers in every direction other then where they ought to be pointed. And the list continues: The failure to produce our annual report last year, having legal re-work and change an official document from the planning board, her public statement about Pleasant Street School causing the town to scramble for another location for our seniors, her public dressing down of employees.
The errors in the Warrant were pointed out by a couple of people early on. However, those people were told by the TA that legal had looked at it and gave it their blessing. Legal didn't even sign the warrant. Why didn't the TA's staff correct, or try to get some help when it was further brought to their attention? Are we paying for a Town Administrator's dept. that can't even get along with each other enough to do the right thing by the people who pay their salaries.
In the world we function in every day - actions and continued actions and attitudes like this are grounds for dismissal. Too harsh? We have more than 10% of Seekonk's people out of work, barely getting by, losing their homes and they have to bear witness to the continued actions of a dysfunctional TA Dept. In my opinion - Pathetic!
Carol Bragg
10:59 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
I have so many woodchuck holes on my property that it would be a waste to throw stones at other people. I prefer to use them to fill holes so that I won't stumble when I'm out and about. Furthermore, I know I'm a very bad aim and whatever I throw may ricochet back and hurt me. This has happened in the past. Fortunately, we sometimes learn from our own mistakes.
David Saad
12:07 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
If only they would let us fill those holes. Unfortunately, "They" would just as soon cover up those holes and we continue stepping into them. But they ought to beware of the "Honey Badger", because he don't give a damn. When you've got nothing to lose - you've got nothing to lose.
Carol Bragg
2:04 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Many holes can be filled quietly and without fanfare.
David Saad
12:34 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Whether it's majority, or minority - you respect a person's religion. No one is above respect. I hold both equally as responsible. And if we ignore one over another then that is also wrong. Majority only rules in issues that don't compromise religious, ethnic, racial traditions and beliefs. In the UK they shout loud and clear the word "Christmas". Over here we go out of our to refrain from saying the word at the expense of Christians. By keeping Christmas in Christmas how did that come to offend anyone? The boutique crowd trashes everything Christian at every chance they get. I never found Jewish, Chinese, Muslim days of worship and celebration offensive. Yet Boutique's like the ACLU go out of their way to ruin Christmas and make sure it is Verboten to mention anything Christian in public. That's the other side. Let me know when the ACLU fights for us minority Christians. They've been feeding us to the lions for 2,000 years. I'll defend anyone's right to celebrate their beliefs as publicly as they like.
deb of see-attleboro
8:05 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Carol: "hide in closet" Bible verse has had many interpretations. It recently has been a highly successful tool used by various groups to shame believers into the closet. Or at least it serves to slow or stall the faithful in their journey.
Hopefully, this closet has a revolving door.
paul
9:45 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
I agree with Dave Parker, wait till June. What's the hurry anyways, paranoia?
Jack Smith
3:49 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The board should of asked the TA for automatic dismisal at that time. What happened falls under her contract and we wouldn't of been on the hook for the remainder of her contract, just my opinion
Doug Brown
9:27 pm on Thursday, March 28, 2013
It's interesting that the entire BOS failed to read the warrant document they signed otherwise someone would have noticed this error. What else to they sign without reading? It was noble of the TA to take responsibility for this mistake. President Harry Truman understood the leadership principle that "THE BUCK STOPS HERE".