HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE DIRECTORS SINK DEEPER INTO THEIR OWN INEPTNESS

Once again, a majority of the Village directors go behind closed doors to hide decisions that they are making, or plan to make. This situation is way out of hand and needs to be confronted.

If the board had a parliamentarian, he or she should rule the board out of order when attempting to hide behind closed doors to do business clearly not in line with the Open Meetings Act. More than likely, they don't have one, or it is probably the Village attorney, who should not be the parliamentarian. Anyway, the situation is begging for correction.

Not being a municipality, I'm assuming they figure they don't have to follow the open meetings act. And they apparently are not following their own policy adopted in 2012 regarding open meetings. There are clear reasons when an elected body can go into closed session. The board should adopt municipal rules, but it doesn't appear they are likely to do that. They don't want to bother letting us know what's going on until it is decided. This probably comes from men, and unfortunately women, who are used to getting their way, having been the boss or ranked in the military. Or followers of men. These folks aren't prepared for people telling them they have made, or are about to make, a mistake. They don't seem to want to answer to anyone. At any rate, the whole thing smells worse that the pump station at the beginning of our road on Asombroso.

The two new board members are siding with two others to create a majority voting for doing business in secret. What a shame. I thought Mary Neilson would be better than it appears she is going to be. I would swear she stated she would not support hiding behind closed doors when campaigning. (The two new members also voted to keep an illegal policy in place that allows only 3 minutes for public comment). Frank Leeming and Jeff Atkins walked out of the last closed meeting being illegally called. I thank both of them for their courage and sense.

The board is deeply disappointing. The general manager must sit in the back with his ears closed. I would start looking for a new job. I wouldn't want to work for this outfit. A community that is not operated out in the open is a place where people are not going to want to live.