BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — The Massena Town Council will now hold regularly scheduled monthly meetings at 4:30 p.m. after council members agreed to push the meetings up one hour.

But one council member raised concerns over the change, saying that earlier start times may make it more difficult for those wishing to participate in government to do so.

Councilor Adrian Taraska said he didn’t agree with the move, citing normal work schedules as a deterrent.

“It's tough for someone to manage, to work in the day shift and participate in government as it is already and by moving it closer, it’s making it even worse,” he said.

Taraska also noted the number of committee and board meetings held in the middle of the day, during normal business hours, that make it difficult for council members who are currently working full-time to attend.

Each council member and Town Supervisor Sue Bellor all work as board liaisons to community boards, with Taraska himself being a liaison for Joint Recreation, Massena Library and Massena Museum.

Though he works a midnight shift, Taraska said those assignments can be a deterrent for some people.

Taraska is also a member of the audit committee for odd months, as well as the fishing and tourism committee.

“I know No, I don't think so much was in attendance as much but to say for me, “These three o'clock meetings that we have for these liaisons and these other meetings basically makes it so the only people that are retired could actually be on these committees. And it's too bad that they have them so early in my opinion, because you probably wouldn’t have people that would be on all these other boards if they weren't (retired),” Taraska said.

Taraska said work schedules can complicate matters and may require balancing to ensure that each committee and community board meeting can be attended by at least one member of the town council. In the vast majority of instances, each committee and board has two council members assigned to attend.

According to Bellor, multiple residents have reached out in recent months and said they appreciated the earlier meeting times because it was easier for them to attend.

Regardless of start time, officials say if a potential decision matters enough to residents, they will be sure to attend the meeting regardless of the start time.

Taraska went on further, saying it was his hope that further participation in government by interested parties would continue, while saying that the earlier meetings could prove to be a detriment in the end.

In recent meetings, attendance and public participation has increased by a fair margin, officials say.

But that doesn’t mean the meeting times cannot be changed again in the future.

Bellor said the board will remain flexible on the matter and will reassess in the future as needed.

The resolution passed with three yes votes from Bellor, Councilors Debra Willer and Francis Carvel. Taraska was the lone no vote. Deputy Town Supervisor Pat Facteau was absent from the meeting.

In other action, the town will begin advertising for a part-time court security attendant for the second and fourth weeks of the month during court hours.

Applicants must be able to pass a drug and alcohol screening at the time of hiring.