LIBERTY – The Liberty Town Board meeting, held June 1, featured a discussion surrounding a proposed term limit law and efforts to create a more structured process for road closure requests tied to private events.

The main topic was a motion to have the Town Attorney Ken Klein review and draft a local law regarding term limits for elected officials. The proposal ultimately failed after it did not receive a second to the motion.

Board member Vincent McPhillips expressed that officials already had term limits as they seek “reelection through the party that they are affiliated with.” He further explained that voters then can remove officeholders from office if they are dissatisfied with their performance. 

However, he raised concern that a single board member had approached the town attorney about drafting legislation before the issue had been discussed by the full board. 

Board member Dean Ferrand argued that it was not put on with any intention but that “it is a discussion that should be made in front of the public as it is their decision to make.”

The debate led to a second motion that board members shouldn’t instruct counsel, or should counsel abide by those instructions, to have a local law introduced without first being a discussion by the board in open session. The motion also failed following a divided vote, leaving existing procedures unchanged.

The board then spent time reviewing a proposed road closure application process. The discussion was prompted by recent concerns from residents regarding communication and notification surrounding private events that affect local roads.

Board members agreed that additional safeguards should be included in the application process. Among the changes discussed was extending the advance notice requirements from 30 days to 45 days, giving both the town and the affected residents more time to review proposed closures.

It was also supported requiring public notice of approved road closures and ensuring that neighboring residents receive adequate notification before an event takes place. Additional provisions include requiring applicants to designate a contact person who can address issues during the event and establishing a fee structure to help cover administrative costs.

Board member Sherri Kavleski expressed agreement for the notification requirements for nearby neighbors by saying, “If it’s next door to me, I [would] want to know about it.”

The board approved revisions to the application process and indicated that the changes are intended to improve transparency, communication, and predictability for both event organizers and residents.