Accusations of two open meeting law violations has caused Selectmen Chairman Mark Sullivan to order acting town manager Bob Cutler to suspend all meetings with any entities including a private meeting scheduled today with Kraft Group officials, Selectman John Gray, Cutler, and town Counsel Richard Gelerman according to the Sun Chronicle.
Due to the complaints, Sullivan has issued a temporary halt on all private discussions between the Kraft Group and town officials until the board can publicly address the issue in open session.
Both complaints were filled by resident Heather Harding, who supported a 900-signature petition asking the selectmen to reconsider their 3-2 vote to deny a liquor license transfer from the Dana Farber Field House to Splitsville.
Harding's complaint alleges that Selectmen Lorraine Brue and Ginny Coppola's meeting with Kraft Group officials in October was more than a fact finding mission and included negotiations. Harding believes the negotiations constituted a subcommittee and the meeting should have been publicly posted.
A second complaint is against the Town of Foxboro for "communicating on matters that the board would otherwise save for discussion at at open meeting."
On Nov. 26, the board voted 5-0 to have Sullivan and Gray meet with Splitsville officials to learn more about their plans. The next day however, Brue told Cutler that such a meeting would constitute a subcommittee and could be subjected to an open meeting law violation.
The board is not expected to take up the matter at their next meeting on Dec. 30, which will likely be use for housekeeping matters.
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