Commissioners Approve New Rules of Public Engagement

commish good

Photos and story by Rick Hiduk

Wyoming County Commissioners (from left) Judy Mead, Tom Henry, and Ron Williams agreed to adopt a new set of rules setting time limits on public speaking at meetings, as well as other codes of conduct to curb public unrest at municipal gatherings.

After a brief but newsworthy meeting of the Wyoming County Prison Board, the three county commissioners moved directly into their regular bi-weekly meeting with the passage of a “new rules and regulations governing public participation at regular or special meetings of the County Commissioners.”

The proposal was not on the agenda, and Commissioner Tom Henry questioned whether not it needed to be read aloud. “Do I have to read it? Should I read it?” he asked solicitor Paul Litwin.

paul litwin

I think you should,” Litwin (above) advised.

The Wyoming County Commissioners and the county’s Planning Commission have been the target of expressive public scrutiny over the past year as suppliers and service providers to the natural gas industry endeavor to move closer to work sites throughout the Endless Mountains region via Tunkhannock the county. Many meetings since the summer have devolved into virtual circuses as anti-industry advocates gave it their all to fight city hall.

The residing solicitor is always quick to explain to public participants what the commissioners and the county are responsible for and what they are not. But when neither concerned citizens nor elected officials seem to fully understand what is transpiring, tempers have flared.

The proposal emphasizes the commissioners’ commitment to providing “a reasonable opportunity…for residents and taxpayers of the County to comment on matters of concern…”

Article 2 addresses the right of the chairman to recognize individuals who wish to speak, call on them to speak one at a time, identify themselves, allocate time, and rule “out of order” scandalous, impertinent, and redundant comments…”

The proposal is similar to one adopted by the Bradford County County Commissioners in April 2011 when they were the routine targets of public scrutiny as the gas industry was reaching its peak there. Then chairman and Mark Smith set forth a strongly-worded proposal a week after a video recording of a particularly uncivil meeting that went viral on social media.

Ironically, the only visitor’s comments aired at the Feb. 10 meeting were those by Eaton Township resident Anne White, who asked for confirmation that the county had definitely signed a contract with Dr. Tim McCauly and CHANGE.

Up to $25,000 has been committed by the county to McCauley’s company to assist with comprehension of analysis of data garnered by The DEP from recently initiated air quality studies. The commissioners assured her that the contract had been signed and had been previously approved, contingent on the approval of the solicitor, which had been granted.

White did not get as concrete an answer, however, to her question about a rumor that the Wyoming County Emergency Center has a technically advanced weather station that has never been deployed. The question was a follow-up to an assertion made by regular public speaker Audrey Gozdiskowski – who was not present on Feb. 10 – at the Jan. 27 meeting. It is the belief of a number of county residents in Gozdiskowski’s and White’s camps that weather statistics that the county might very well have the resources to gather should be added to DEP’s study.

Henry indicated that County EMA Director Gene Dziak was the person who should be able to most adequately answer that question. They advised White that they would confer with him and that she could call them in the afternoon for an update.

Additional reports provided details to the county’s contract with ABM Building Solutions, a company charged with assessing the energy efficiency of county properties, and acknowledgement that new tax laws have challenged some municipal tax collectors and put them in breach of county codes on the matter.

ABM representative Richard Phelps was available to answer a few questions that the commissioners posed to Solicitor Litwin. Litwin in turn reminded the commissioners that, should the board not agree to and approve the energy audit that will be presented by ABM, the county will owe the company $55,000.

But, if they don’t save us the money that they say they will, they will reimburse us,” Commissioner Judy Mead stated, indicating that the commissioners had a shared understanding of the contract and feel that the county will gain in the long run from the investment.

As per tax collections, Litwin informed the commissioners as part of his report that one or more tax collectors in the county had not submitted paperwork nor funds by Jan. 10 as prescribed by county tax codes.

Chief Clerk Bill Gaylord (below) concurred that existing codes include fines that start at $250 for late filings. He noted that one of the issues of which he is aware is that one municipality had a number of bounced checks in 2014 and didn’t know how to deal with them.

Bill Gaylord

Litwin acknowledged as well that some townships our struggling to fill their elected tax collector positions with qualified and interested parties and that the county has the right to contract with local municipalities to collect taxes, even though few officials seem willing to take that route.

Commissioner Ron Williams asserted that the codes are clear and that ignorance of them is not and excuse for not filing on time. Mead concluded the discussion by suggesting that tax collectors obviously need a reminder of the codes under which they are operating.

We should send all of them a copy of that resolution again,” she stated.

4 Comments

  1. Wondering if the chairman may ignore those with questions and not allow them to be asked? I ask questions on behalf of many, not only myself, since many can not attend meetings due to working during the day. Our group is not anti-industry, just pro-public health and safety and clean air, water and environment. We are currently looking at solutions for air pollution issues and I personally am looking at addressing air pollution issues outside of where I live in another area of the county. We want to live in a healthy, vibrant and economically thriving community. . .there should not be a false choice between the wealth and health and strive for both.

  2. Setting meeting rules, hum. In the last few years I have seen municipalities start to develop meeting rules, some to stop or prevent comments, and a few saw what the other municipalities were passing and dropped the subject and the last example, the municipality or board wants to hear more from the public. All meeting rules are to do is help get the meeting over, but if people want to speak, listen. Even if you have to Adjourn the meeting for the night and resume the next night. It is better for public relations and we can learn things by listening to the people speak. Many board members elected or appointed do not know that the DCED had an Open Meeting book that can guide them on how to follow the sunshine act

  3. Your story was incomplete….when you say the commissioners instituted new rules, why not LIST the rules? That way everyone would know what’s expected of them & not just the commissioners. Also, I take umbrage at the term’ circuses’ being used. It is at once demeaning and derogatory.

    1. Author

      The rules were read at the meeting, and a copy of them in their entirety can be obtained simply by calling their office at the County Courthouse.

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