It’s often said that people get the government they deserve. Hartford residents better hope that’s not true, because their Selectboard is dysfunctional to the point of embarrassment.

Anyone who doubts this is invited to view video recordings of the psychodramas masquerading as Selectboard meetings that took place March 9 and March 21. The first of these, a chaotic annual “organizational” meeting held to elect new officers and make committee assignments, began with a bungled procedural ruling that arguably changed the outcome of the vote for vice chairman, descended into personal critiques of board members’ performance, and devolved from there into ugly wrangling over making liaison assignments to various town boards and commissions — for which it appears, amazingly enough, that no formal policies or procedures exist.

Taking this all in, a member of the public urged the board “to grow up.” We cannot agree with this, as it implies that the behavior displayed was childish. That characterization defames children everywhere. What some Selectboard members exhibited was thoroughly adult and thoroughly repellent: a toxic stew of petty grievance and personal resentment, with a dose of condescension thrown in for good measure.

When the board got together again March 21 to try defuse this volatile atmosphere, board member Rocket almost immediately short-circuited the process by launching into a lengthy monologue asserting that ever since he joined the board, his voice has been ignored and his views marginalized in a disrespectful way. He asserted that this was because he is the only member of the Selectboard who is also a member of a minority group and because the board majority’s is intolerant of differing views, including his belief that it has too narrow a conception of what kind of diversity the town should promote. At that point, he got up and left the meeting in protest, presumably sparing himself the tedium of listening to what other board members and the public had to say in reply.

From there, the meeting turned to the need for training, “team building,” cohesion and collaboration. Members of the public weighed in with some excellent advice, the burden of which was simple: Cut the drama and transact town business in a business-like way.

One viewer of the proceedings made the pertinent suggestion that the board get “basic training” in Robert’s Rules of Order and the Town Charter. That’s certainly a good place to start; we would add a primer on common courtesy along with training materials covering the Vermont Public Records and Open Meeting laws, adherence to which is essential to achieving the transparency board members claim to seek. We mention the Open Meeting Law in particular because Rocket alluded in his statement to having been previously admonished in an executive session about his conduct. There’s no exemption that we know of in the law that would allow such a topic to be discussed in private session.

As to team building, it is well to remember that the goal here is not for the board to act in lockstep. Government is the arena in which conflicts are resolved and competing priorities reconciled. Elected board members’ first duty is to act in accord with the dictates of their consciences and, insofar as they understand them, in the best interests of their constituents. Not a whole lot more is required besides careful study of the issues, stating your case as honestly and persuasively as you can, listening to others with an open mind, and in the end voting as you deem best and explaining why you did.

It is not necessary to view yourself as the member of a team to serve honorably in this way, nor is it necessary to maintain anything other than courteous if distant relations with fellow board members.

To adapt an old adage: There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics, only permanent interests. Find common ground where and when you can, with whom you can, to advance your goals for the town.

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