Cohasset Selectmen to begin new year in crisis

Selectmen originally planned to have their first fistfight of the New Year on January 8^th, but Selectmen and their acting town manager moved it up a week to Wednesday, Jan. 2.

At 7:05 p.m.: Money for technology and security upgrades failed at the special meeting when the warrant article 6 was found to be deficient. Perhaps the acting town manager has discovered another money reservoir, as he is requesting “action” on this item.

At 7:25 p.m: Selectmen will discuss an unauthorized release of confidential /attorney client privileged information from a member of the board of selectmen to the general (sic) public. So on Jan. 2 selectmen will go after one of their own. It is thought that the selectman in question is Martha Gjesteby, who is currently in the hospital recovering from surgery. When we called Gjesteby late yesterday to see if she had any comments regarding this agenda item she said not at this time. All we have to say about this is – if this document was released to the general (sic) public, we want a copy. Milanoski has requested action on this item.

At 7:45 p.m.: Selectmen are slated to sign yet another contract with Milanoski, who has not yet been here a year. We think this will something like the 4^th contract they have discussed having with him. This one will probably be the acting town manager contracted discussed at selectmen’s last meeting. If so, it will start July 1 and end Dec. 2013.  It will replace the illegal town manager’s contract he currently holds with various “unenforceable” sections. Yet another contract Selectmen had planned to offer Milanoski, one which would have retained him through June 2015, seems to have gone by the by.

At 8 p.m. there will be an executive session to discuss non-union and union negotiations. It is our understanding that Milanoski has not yet concluded any negotiations. I guess when you brag about the $1MM the town made this year and then ask the unions to take a 0% increase, your request falls upon deaf ears.

After the executive session there will be a public discussion of the executive session.

Weird.

The Governance Committee will meet at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 3^rd at the Cohasset Middle School. Several town officials claim selectmen may try to slip a quickie special town meeting into the winter-spring months in order to get a second shot at changes to the Town Manager’s Act, which would give them a third shot at the Annual meeting, if needed. Governance does appear to be trying to bring revisions to the act to a quick end, perhaps this is the reason.

This ain’t no way to run a town.

Happy New Year.