ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen is shifting its meeting times up an hour to begin at 6 p.m.

 

The board voted at its May 17 meeting to change the start time to 6 p.m. beginning July 19, with Selectman Joseph Nowak abstaining. The decision to hold off until mid-July was to ensure that residents were fully informed.

 

Chair Christine Hoyt said the change was prompted by conversations with presenters and others who want to attend meetings. 

 

"When we do start to put together agendas and ask people to come and present to the board, a 7 p.m. start time is somewhat difficult," she said. "I know that there were individuals this evening who were anxious to get home to put little ones to bed, or whatever it might be."

 

Hoyt said Northern Berkshire Community Television, which records and broadcasts the meetings, was good with the change. Peter Gentile, who as operating the camera that night, gave two thumbs for the switch. 

 

Nowak said he was unaware of the reasoning for the time change being on the agenda and was not inclined to vote because "I just didn't have time to digest."

 

"I don't like things just thrown at me haphazardly," he said, "because when I looked at that when I got the agenda, there boy, that's just the big change for this community, I think."

 

Selectman John Duval noted that the board's workshop meetings are held at 6 p.m. 

 

"Our meetings do run longer, especially when we have executive sessions, we'll be out here at 10 o'clock at night," he said. "Having a meeting that late, the discussion can get off topic when people get tired. And I've seen that. But just speaking for myself as a member of the Board of Selectmen, six o'clock would be fine for me."

 

Allowing people to get out of work, attend the meeting and get home at a reasonable hour would be beneficial, he said.

 

Nowak asked if the change was being driven by town employees who often have to appear before the board, pointing out some live outside of the town. Hoyt said no, she had heard on a regular basis that residents would prefer an earlier hour. Even that evening, she continued, there has "jockeying" to get on the agenda earlier.  

 

The meeting that night ran for nearly 2 1/2 hours, prompting the board to take a five-minute break in between items. 

 

Nowak wasn't convinced, saying people could get baby-sitters if they wanted to appear before the board. 

 

"These meetings ever since I can remember, were at seven o'clock," he said. "It's just become a mainstay. A lot of people don't get home to want to watch these, you know, for six o'clock and that type of thing."

 

It was suggested that if Nowak wanted more time to digest, the matter could be tabled to the next meeting. He declined, saying it was on the agenda but wanted to state his reason for abstaining. 

 

Selectman Howard Rosenberg thought they could pass a motion that night because "there's no overwhelming argument against it and we can go back if there's an outcry, so it's not like it's a terminal decision."

 

The motion passed with Nowak abstaining. Selectman Richard Blanchard then had to leave because he works nights.