Is it okay for elected officials to phone it in, so to speak? The topic was touched upon briefly by Westborough Town Counsel Greg Franks at the Jan. 10 Board of Selectmen meeting when he addressed the possibility of selectmen attending a meeting remotely.

According to Franks, regulations for remote participation have been set by the Massachusetts Attorney General. "It would take a simple majority vote by the Board of Selectmen" to participate, Franks told Westborough Patch.

There are limits to the regulations, he explained. For example, the regulations  outline specific reasons why remote attendance would be acceptable, including illness or travel. Additionally, the board could set a limit how many times a member would be allowed to attend a meeting remotely per year, Franks told the selectmen.

Board of Selectmen Chair Lydia Goldblatt did not warm up to the idea. “If anyone is fortunate enough to be elected to the board, it is the responsibility of that person to attend the meetings,” she said.

Selectman George Thompson, a lawyer, said he could see reasons to permit it. “We have a lot of professionals who travel. I’d hate to see a qualified person not run for a position,” he said, noting that he once had a 12-week trial in California and had to miss meetings in Westborough.

“I think there are some very legitimate reasons why someone would attend remotely,” added Selectman Leigh Emery.

Franks said that if the Board of Selectmen were to approve remote attendance at meetings, it would be permitted for all committees and boards in town.

Town Manager Jim Malloy suggested putting the issue on another agenda, which all agreed to do.

“I wouldn’t want it to become commonplace,” Goldblatt said. “[Attending meetings] is a responsibility that you incur when you run for office.”

We want to know what you think. How do you feel about town officials attending meetings remotely? Is it time to permit videoconferencing and teleconferencing? Will this open the candidate pool to more residents, perhaps the disabled or those temporarily living outside of town? Or will this detract from the ability of a board or committee to work at its full potential? Do you think the privilege might be abused?