The Board of Selectmen approved a report containing 10 recommendations from the Task Force for the Protection of Town Volunteers and Officials. A copy of the full report and the 10 recommendations can be viewed on the town website in the meeting minutes of the Board of Selectmen’s April 11 meeting.
A summary of the report’s final recommendations include the following:
- Adoption of a civility pledge
- Civility reminder preceding all periods of public comment
- Town-wide civility campaign
- Regular review of the Town of Easton’s employee handbook and guide for public servants for harassment protocols
- Creation of clear department office hours and appointment guidelines for members of the public
- Making available to the public the town’s liability insurance policy protections for officials
- Regular review of the Ethics Ordinance
- Provision for continuing education resources for town workers regarding conflict management
- Regular compliance review
- Maintenance of documents required of board and commission members and elected officials.
The task force was formed in February following concerns raised during the public comment portion of Board of Selectmen meetings about people being unwilling to serve on boards and commissions as volunteers if they risk retaliation by members of the public. The task force studied civility pledges from municipalities across the country while crafting one for Easton.
“It’s something we’re seeing across the nation right now,” said Selectman Nicholas D’Addario. “Political tensions are high, but at the same time people can have opposing viewpoints and have vigorous debate, but be respectful to each other.”
In recognition of the fact that achieving and maintaining civility in public discourse is a balancing act requiring constant effort from both Easton’s government and its citizens, the task force created the following civility pledge:
“The Town of Easton pledges to practice and promote civility within its governing bodies. The way we govern ourselves is often as important as the positions we take. We pledge to build a stronger and more prosperous community by advocating for civil engagement, respecting others and their viewpoints, and finding solutions for the betterment of our town. This pledge ensures all communication — both spoken and written — to be open, honest and transparent as this is vital for cultivating trust and relationships. All those who appear before the Town of Easton’s boards and committees have the right to be treated with respect, courtesy and openness. We value all input. Accordingly, we commit to conduct ourselves with civility and courtesy at all times.”
While the report represents a bipartisan collaboration, not every concern was able to make it into the final document.
“When we originally formed this task force, I had hoped for more of a process of what to do when or if something happens that a member of our boards or commissions could follow and know ‘okay, this is what I should do first; this is what I should do second, these are the people I should reach out to,’” said Selectman Kristi Sogofsky. “So that was probably the one thing I was looking for that was not included. I do understand that it’s a difficult area to define, and there’s a lot of things that we as a board or we as a town want to do, but you can’t necessarily do or enforce.”
The town will enact the recommendations either into town policy or via a town ordinance. Although the task force has completed its goal of delivering its report, the recommendations must be put into action for effects to be felt.
“I don’t think it’s a one-and-done thing,” said D’Addario. “Civility comes from the Board of Selectmen, elected officials and appointed officials modeling those behaviors and values. I think that if we work over the next several months to enact those recommendations then we are in a better position to tone down that rhetoric and protect town volunteers and employees.”
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