BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
BRADFORD— Bradford Commission Chairman Chris Dougherty proposed meeting date changes that will take effect in September.
Meetings are moving to Tuesdays — the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The first meeting remains a morning meeting and begins at 9:30 a.m. The evening meeting on the third Thursday will begin at 6:30 p.m. (Planning and Zoning Board or Board of Adjustment meetings will begin at 6 p.m. if scheduled.)
Some objections were raised by other commissioners because of conflicts with other local government meetings. The city of Starke also meets on the first and third Tuesdays, although both meetings take place in the evening. The third Tuesday meetings would overlap.
Dougherty, however, saw this as an opportunity to hold joint meetings with city commissioners from time to time.
The third Tuesday meeting time and date conflicts with the Hampton City Council as well.
Attorney Will Sexton also said issues could arise on a first Tuesday meeting that the commission wouldn’t be able to deal on the third Tuesday because there wouldn’t be enough time to advertise. Action would have to be delayed until the next month.
Commissioners approved the revised schedule, with Commissioners Carolyn Spooner and Diane Andrews dissenting. Andrews said it was important that commissioners stay involved in their districts and attend municipal meetings. The change could interfere with that.
“One, it means a lot to them, and two, it keeps us in touch with our people,” she said.
Dougherty’s reason for moving away from Monday meeting days was to avoid holiday cancelations or rescheduling.
