Commissioners will not attend meeting
A request by Fayette County Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh to hold an agenda meeting prior to the Dec. 27 special meeting has been rejected by the other two commissioners. When contacted Friday, both commission chairman Vincent A. Vicites and commissioner Ronald M. Nehls said they had no plans to either schedule or attend an agenda meeting during Christmas week.
Cavanagh had previously sent out a memorandum asking his colleagues to schedule an agenda meeting to discuss all other items added to the agenda for the special meeting, which was originally scheduled for approval of the 2003 budget, which must be adopted prior to the end of the year.
In addition to the budget, the commissioners have agreed to fill a variety of appointments at the meeting, including two positions on the Fayette County Housing Authority and one position on the Fayette County Airport Authority.
Cavanagh said the meeting was necessary to comply with a policy that calls for an agenda meeting prior to a regular meeting. He had suggested the dates of either Dec. 23 or Dec. 24 for the agenda meeting.
However, both Vicites and Nehls said holding an agenda meeting prior to a special meeting is not county policy.
“As long as I’ve been in office, we’ve never had an agenda meeting prior to a special meeting,” Nehls said. He added that he already knows where Cavanagh stands on some of the appointments and he has already made up his mind about whom he wishes to appoint.
Nehls added he doesn’t think the agenda meeting is necessary in this particular case because there are only two or three things on the agenda. “I don’t plan to be there (for an agenda meeting),” Nehls said.
Vicites said the commissioners do not list the names of appointees for agenda meetings. He added that he has a previous family commitment scheduled for Dec. 23 and he is not going to let his family down.
“I don’t have a problem with having public meeting when it’s necessary,” Vicites said.
Vicites said he doesn’t see the need for an agenda meeting in this case.
“It’s a very limited agenda and we’ve already discussed the items on the agenda. It’s unnecessary to have an agenda meeting for a special meeting,” he said. “This is not a regular meeting and to my knowledge, we’ve never had an agenda meeting for a special meeting.”
He added that he has no intention of adding anything else to the agenda anyway and it is not a good time because of the holiday and family commitments.