Incivility and Lack of Courtesy Evident at Yorktown Town Board Meetings
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
I have been attending Town and Planning Board meetings in Yorktown since Linda Cooper was town supervisor and regularly for well over a decade.
The level of incivility and discourtesy exhibited by certain members of the current Town Board is notable and remarkable.
Susan Siegel was recently elected to the Town Board. More often than not I do not agree with her positions and opinions. However, as a resident of Yorktown and an elected member of the Town Board, she is entitled to voice her opinions and reasoning on issues before the board without being repeatedly and continuously interrupted and spoken over by certain members of the board.
Similarly, Ed Lachterman is an elected member of the Town Board and is also the town supervisor. He too is regularly and continuously interrupted and spoken over by certain members of the Town Board.
During regular Town Board meetings there is a period called “Courtesy of the Floor.” This period allows for members of the public to address the board for three minutes. Unless the speaker is being offensive, the three-minute period should not be interrupted. However, certain members of the Town Board regularly interrupt members of the public speaking during this time.
Supervisor Lachterman should make more use of his gavel! And, these certain member(s) of the Town Board should be replaced during the next Town Board election cycle.
Jay Kopstein
Yorktown Heights
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.
