Weeks of public discussion, executive sessions and increasingly vitriolic emails about the proper role of town councilors was at least partially settled when the Town Council agreed to accept a new rule on their communications with town employees.
After almost an hour of sometimes heated discussion at its July 14 meeting, the council voted 5-0 to adopt a rule requiring councilors to copy both the town manager and council chair on all emails sent to town staff.
The council also agreed 4-1 to table discussion of other rules and procedures until a mediator can participate. Interim Town Manager Jennifer Janelle agreed to contact the Maine Municipal Association about engaging a mediator.
Councilor Joel Martin and the town attorney had both submitted suggestions for revised rules of order and procedures for consideration at this week’s meeting.
The council discussion on rules and procedures began with Vice Chair Mallory Cook reading a 1,300-word personal statement castigating Councilor Sam Flinkstrom for what she said was repeatedly ignoring long-held protocol that has town councilors working through the whole council or the town manager rather than working individually and directly with town employees.
Although Cook and the town’s communication director have previously addressed the protocol, saying it has been followed consistently by councilors in the past, the focus this week was on a personal email Flinkstrom, who owns Happy Valley Beer & Wine Garden, wrote inviting incoming Town Planner Jeff Brubaker to meet with him about several projects in town.
Claiming a “fundamental disagreement on how to interpret our charter, … what our role is as town councilors, and what constitutes a conflict of interest,” Cook suggested the group consider hiring a mediator or attorney to help them through the differences of opinion.
Both Flinkstrom and Councilor Joel Martin challenged Cook to show where the charter dictates that requirement.
“There is nowhere in our charter that says a sitting Town Council member cannot contact a member of town hall,” said Martin, the sole no vote for tabling the consideration of rules until a mediator is found.
A video of the Town Council meeting, emails from the Flinkstroms, Janelle, and Brubaker that were distributed to the public at the council meeting, and Cook’s statement at the meeting are available on the town’s website. Some two dozen members of the public attended the council meeting Tuesday and another 89 watched online.
The council has posted an online invitation for residents to comment on the process of creating rules of order and procedures at councilors@sbmaine.us.
