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By MJ STAFFORD
Fredonia Police Chief Phillip Maslak is apparently going to retire and the village board approved the advertisement for his replacement on Monday.
The resolution to advertise, passed 3-1 with James Lynden on “no” vote, declares that Maslak’s retirement is “anticipated.” The measure orders the village staff specialist to advertise the provisional opening, with “Salary compensated by experience and qualifications”.
Maslak was appointed chief of police just over a year ago after longtime police officer Bradley Meyers left in January 2020. Lynden on Monday criticized the format of a civil service test for the job. of police chief that the village offered at that time.
“The test was required by the board as an internal test, not open to the public. We had several agents who passed the test ”, he said. “It was the board’s request to do so, instead of opening it to the public. I think this opportunity (for public participation) should always exist. For this reason, I vote no.
Administrator EvaDawn Bashaw responded before voting: “Everyone is welcome to apply for this position. “
The resolution passed on Monday was tabled at the board meeting on September 20. Lynden criticized the board for voting on the resolution at a workshop rather than a regular meeting. He made a similar criticism at the last workshop on September 13 about his adoption of the Downtown Project Change Order authority for Department of Public Works chief Scott Marsh.
Melanie Beardsley, one of the village lawyers, has said on several occasions that directors can legally vote on resolutions in a workshop as long as they have a quorum. Lynden retorted on Monday that according to the state’s Open Meetings Act, the public should be notified if a resolution will be passed, and that did not happen in this case.
“Unless it was something that happened at the last minute, urgently, the Open Meetings Act requires that we notify the public that there will be votes that will actually be taken,” Lynden said.
“It’s really no different from walk-in resolutions that don’t appear on the agenda”, replied Trustee Scott Johnston. “We’ve heard this before, Jim, and you know, just because you say it more than once doesn’t make it truer the second time. “
“It’s true!” Lynden replied, her voice high. “It’s a real fact. Can we continue? ”
Johnston said, “So just vote no. “ Seconds later, Lynden did just that.
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