Any Relief for a Dishonest Warning?

[noahwinsome]

Good Evening,

Thank you to everyone in advance for your consideration and help on this issue. I have a question about a possible objection to my local select board's failure to be transparent about a recent warning and the subsequent ballot vote. Here are the specific facts:

A year ago, the select board issued a warning with regard to the purchase of a parcel of land. The parcel is 40+ acres; one end of it abuts an unpopulated section a through road while the other directly abuts a small residential community. The warning stated that the town would buy the land and construct a new town garage directly on the through road. The vote passed. However, the town has since begun preparation to build the garage on the opposite end of the parcel in the residential area that is within a few hundred feet of several homes.

Is this in violation of RRO? Is there any potential relief or a point of order that can be brought to address this? It seems to me that, assuming the best intentions, the warning and the vote were highly inaccurate. Without the benefit of the doubt, it appears that the warning was deliberately misleading. The townspeople would not have assented to buying the land with the intent of building on the corner of the lot that is in a small neighborhood.

When asked about the preparations at a recent town meeting, the select board stated that, since the town owns the land, it can do as it pleases. Is there any relief that these people could seek?

Thank you for your time,

Noah

[Hieu H. Huynh]

3 hours ago, noahwinsome said:

Is this in violation of RRO?

No. RONR does not address this matter.

[Josh Martin]

Lying is an ethical issue, not a procedural one. A Point of Order is not appropriate.

The appropriate relief would be to move to Rescind the unexecuted part of the motion, to initiate procedures to discipline the board members, or both.

The vote cannot be declared null and void on this basis.