Village of Oakfield Mayor Jason Armbrewster wanted to open the discussion about the future of village government at last night's village board meeting, but with two board members who didn't attend the meeting and one vacant seat on the board, he didn't have the necessary quorum to open the meeting.
Only one community member even showed up for the meeting.
Absent trustees were Dave Boyle and John Igor.
Armbrewster said that Igor contacted him in advance of the meeting and said he had a family matter that would prevent him from making the meeting, but Armbrewster said he didn't hear from Boyle at all.
The mayor even went to Boyle's house shortly after the meeting's scheduled start time of 5 p.m. to see if he was home.
After he got back, he received a text from a third party who said Boyle was on vacation.
The lack of a quorum, which also delays the ability of the village to pay all of its bills, will spur Armbrewster to appoint somebody to fill the vacant board seat, which he had planned to leave open until the next election.
Armbrewster would liked to have rescheduled the meeting to Thursday night, but it wouldn't be possible to meet print newspaper deadlines for a public notice (a problem that wouldn't be an issue if the State Legislature would bring state law into the 21st century regarding public notices and allow online publication).
The trustees will try to meet again at 5 p.m., Monday.
Armbrewster was clearly frustrated because he thinks the trustees should start the discussion on possible dissolution of village government, not because he's dead set on pursuing that course, but because he thinks facts should be gathered and discussions held to see if dissolution is really in the best interest of village residents.
"There is talk in other communities about doing this and if I get asked that question, then I don't have an answer, because we don't have the data," Armbrewster said.
UPDATE: The meeting time for Monday's meeting has been changed to 7:30 p.m. Armbrewster said the time change is intended to encourage greater attendance and participation. "I encourage every resident to show up to give their input because I work for them," he said.
This will need a Study
This will need a Study committee to way the pros and cons !!
Sad to see our village
Sad to see our village trustees collecting a paycheck and not taking their responsibilities seriously. I understand that this was the second meeting both trustees have missed in a row.