Cohasset Governance committee to be named SMEs

We are told that tomorrow evening the BOS has an agenda item to grant its governance committee Special Municipal Employee (SME) status. Wonder what prompted this. They weren’t worried about any of this stuff before.  Are they starting to go legal?

Under the state ethics laws,  those designated special municipal employees have less stringent prohibitions under the ethics laws.  The governance committee was formed initially to investigate the selectmen’s firing of three conservation commission members; but we don’t think it ever got around to doing that.  Had it done so,  at least one member would have a conflict – namely  committee member George Chamillard of Cat Dam Environmental-20  fame.

If governance is looking into changing the form of government and the responsibilities of the Town Manager – Chairman and now acting town manager Mike Milanoski could not participate as he could potentially have a future financial interest in that decision. SMEs can still participate with a full disclosure to their appointing authority – the BOS.

Is it important for you to know this?

One never, ever knows.