Rehoboth Establishes Town Counsel Policy

All requests made by town boards and committees for access to the town’s legal counsel will need to be made in writing to the Town Administrator, according to a new policy approved by the Board of Selectmen.

“It’s important as towns get more and more complex and legal services get more expensive, to make sure it’s being used consistently, not just for financial reasons but so this board and your Town Administrator can know what’s happening in the town,” said attorney Jay Talerman on Monday.

Talerman noted it’s normally the Town Administrator that would control access to legal counsel.

Chairman Skip Vadnais said the policy also applies to elected officials.

Talerman added the policy will allow boards to have greater clarity regarding legal matters: “This policy insures you’re always, as the Chief Executives, going to be getting the direction out of my office that you choose.”