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Our Town Board is abusing the Consent Agenda portion of the agenda. The consent agenda is supposed to be for non-controversial and routine items. However, they are placing serial bond payments, reassessment for Northtown plaza, etc. What do we need to do for this practice to cease?
There is nothing in the law that I am aware of that restricts how a public body uses a consent agenda. In fact, there is no requirement in the Open Meetings Law for a public body to use an agenda at all.
Each town board is able to set their own rules and procedures. Other municipalities use a consent agenda where items that have unanimous agreement at a pre-meeting work session are placed on a consent agenda and approved in one motion.
I have seen Amherst meetings where 100 items are approved in one motion, and two or three items are discussed and voted on. It is certainly not a good practice.
All you can do is ask them to stop using the consent agenda the way they are.
Perhaps your organization can send a formal letter to the town board explaining your objections as to the way the consent agenda is being used and ask them to stop.
Copy the news media.
Talk about it during public comment time at the meeting.