March 10, 2008 Minutes

These minutes were posted by the Ethics.

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
ETHICS COMMITTEE
85 Main St.
Pittsfield, New Hampshire 03263
ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
DATE/TIME: Monday March 10, 2008 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Town Hall
Attending: G. Amnott, H. Sanborn
Members of Public: None
Excused Absence(s): None
Unexcused Absence(s): H. Fitzgerald
Quorum: Yes*
MINUTES OF MEETING
1. Meeting was called to order at 7:08 p.m.
2. A discussion took place about whether or not we had a quorum and could hold the meeting. A
consultation of the Rules of Procedure (Section 2.b.iv.) indicates that, “A quorum for all
meetings, hearings and findings of the Committee shall be a minimum of three (3) members.”
Due to mitigating circumstances, we interpreted the intent of this section to require a majority of
seated members and proceeded with the meeting. The mitigating circumstances are:
a. There are currently only three (3) seated members of the Ethics Committee due to recent
resignations, and we had a majority of seated members present.
b. Of the three (3) members who were at the pre-hearing, one is not running for re-election
and one is running opposed, meaning that as of March 11th, there could well be only a
single member left who attended the pre-hearing and would have any knowledge of the
findings the committee was reviewing.
c. In retrospect, whereas all motions were unanimously approved, the outcome would have
remained the same had the third seated member been present.
3. The committee reviewed the findings prepared by G. Amnott and approved unanimously as is.
4. The committee also recommends that the newly seated board consider changing the quorum
requirements to read, “A quorum for all meetings, hearings, and findings of the Committee shall
be 50% or more of seated members.”
5. Meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: Next meeting was not scheduled as new committee to be seated March 11, 2008.
Respectfully submitted by Chairman G. Amnott