Bath supervisor explains new work session format

Hot Springs, Va. –

The Bath Board of Supervisors held its monthly work session on Tuesday night and Board Chairman Bruce McWilliams explained his plans for conducting the Board’s two monthly meetings.

The Board holds its regular meeting on the second Tuesday of each month and now is holding an additional work session on the fourth Tuesday of each month. McWilliams said the Board first talked about these work session back in June and discussed using the work sessions to hear presenters and to have questions and answers between the Board and the presenters. He said his intent is to keep the work sessions as working business meetings and not to turn them into meetings that involve votes and decisions without thoughtful consideration. McWilliams said the Board will not be voting on any issues at the work sessions. He added that the Board will not be voting at any meeting on any issue that hasn’t had a two week period between presentation and voting.

McWilliams said he wants to allow the two week window before voting for follow up questions and thought from both the public and the Board. He said his intent is to use the regular month meeting for voting, unless an emergency arises where an immediate vote is needed at a work session.

McWilliams said the Board will regularly vote to pay bills at work sessions. And there will be no public comment period at the work sessions and McWilliams encouraged anyone with questions on any issues from the work sessions to contact their representatives or county administration.

Meeting agendas and board packets will be available in advance of meetings and a draft agenda for the regular monthly meeting on February 12th is now available.

McWilliams also said the county website should be up and running soon and agendas and board packets will be available there also. Agendas and packets can also be emailed.

During board comments on Tuesday night, Supervisor Bart Perdue said he would like to have a public comment period at the work sessions and he also said he wants the Board to watch voting at the work sessions on any expenditures that are not on the agenda.

Supervisor Claire Collins was absent from Tuesday night’s work session due to a conflict which prevents her from attending some of the work sessions on the fourth Tuesday.

For more from the Bath Board of Supervisors January work session tune into Noon Hour on Friday.