Huntington's Town Board Lacks Openness
100% Unanimous Votes = Lack of Representation
- 100 percent of all Town Board votes in 2009 have been unanimous: In 2009, the Town Board has taken 598 votes and all have been unanimous.
99 percent of all Town Board votes in 2008 were unanimous: The Town Board took 729 votes in 2008 and 721 were unanimous.
It is true that the Town Board votes on many mundane matters, but it also votes on major projects, zoning changes and Town spending. Are there never any disagreements? Are there never competing ideas on how to manage or lead the Town? Does no member ever dissent?
This monolithic voting speaks to a lack of representation, a lack of openness, a lack of new ideas and a lack of competition for new ideas and resources.
Council Districts will lead to all of our communities being heard. Under Council Districts, Council Members will discuss issues in public, will bring more ideas to Town Hall meetings and will debate important matters.
Fewer Meetings Means Less Public Input and Less Openness
Huntington limits Town Board meetings, which limits access and openness:
- Huntington once held 20 Town Board meetings per year
- By 2008, Huntington reduced the number of meetings to16
- In 2010, the Huntington Town Board has scheduled a mere 14 meetings
By comparison, the Brookhaven Town Board held 25 meetings in 2008. And yes, Brookhaven has Town Council Districts.
No Public Input, No Public Discussion
Have you attended a Town Board meeting recently? There is no public debate and no public discussion. Here is the format:
· The meeting opens with the presentation of awards and certificates to Town residents who have performed a special feat or achieved a significant milestone. It is a nice and valuable ceremony.
· There is an open comment period when members of the public can speak for up to three minutes. People can ask questions or raise concerns, but the Town Board members do not answer questions and do not engage in any discussion. There is no dialogue with speakers. As one person put it, “It’s like talking to a wall.”
· The meeting ends with a series of votes read one after another in a roll-call style. No discussion, no explanations. In 2008, the Town Board took an average of 46 votes per meeting.
Town Council Districts = More Open and Representative Government
To print a copy of this analysis, click here: An Analysis of Huntington Town Board Votes and Meetings.pdf