Lysander — The Lysander Town Board is “switching things up” when it comes to public participation, the town clerk’s office and other aspects of the town’s government, Supervisor Joe Saraceni announced at the board’s organizational meeting Jan. 11.
Saraceni said members of the public may speak at the board’s work sessions, which take place an hour before each regular board meeting.
“It’s an open meeting. In the past, you were not invited to ask questions or make comments; in the future, you will,” Saraceni said.
Furthermore, the board is expanding the opportunity for public comments during the regular meeting. Residents may address the supervisor on any topic during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting, and the three-minute time limit has been eliminated. This comment period is not limited to agenda items, and those wishing to discuss an agenda item may hold their comments until the board addresses the item in the course of the meeting.
“This is a way to make this meeting a little more interactive between this board and the public,” Saraceni said.
Resident Jim Stirushnik, who frequently makes use of the public comment period, said he was “greatly in favor of” the board’s decision to expand the public’s opportunity to speak.
“I like what I have heard here tonight,” Stirushnik said. “One of the justices of the Supreme Court today made a comment that … government may be more efficient without public comment, but public comment should be there.”
Visitors to Lysander’s meetings will notice a change in setup as well. Town officials and department heads are now seated at tables flanking the town board’s dais instead of sitting in the audience.
“This is your government,” Saraceni said. “Instead of having them dispersed in the audience, you get to know who’s working for you.”
Veteran Councilors Roman Diamond and Bob Geraci welcomed Saraceni and the new town councilors, Bob Ellis and Peter Moore.
continued — Geraci, whom Saraceni named deputy supervisor, referenced his and Ellis’ time working for Onondaga County Parks.
“Our motto — sort of unwritten — was, ‘We’re going to work really hard, but we’re going to have fun too,’” Geraci said. “I want to be able to look forward to coming to these meetings … and I know I will. That’s all about trust and openness, and I think you’re going to see that.”
Changes to clerk’s office
In addition to the new town board members, Lysander swore in Elaine McMahon as its new town clerk last week. McMahon appointed Terrie Massaro as a part-time deputy clerk and will advertise for a full-time deputy clerk.
McMahon previously served as deputy town clerk. Her appointment as town clerk lasts through 2016; if she wants to keep the seat, McMahon will have to run in this fall’s election to fill former Town Clerk Lisa Dell’s term, which would have ended in 2017. The position of town clerk will come up for election again in 2017.
Saraceni’s administration is reversing some decisions made by the previous administration regarding the town clerk’s office. In January 2015, the town board decided not to adopt the minutes and posted minutes “as prepared by the town clerk” on the town website. Starting at the Jan. 25, 2016, meeting, the town board will review and adopt meeting minutes taken by the town clerk.
McMahon will also serve as the records access officer under New York state’s Freedom of Information (FOIL) law. Saraceni will be the FOIL appeals officer. In 2013, the town board voted to appoint then-parks director Ann Smiley and then Dan Boccardo, dog control officer and bookkeeper to the supervisor, as records access and management officers.
