Resident calls for sanction after alleging commissioner discouraged candidates from public forums

Jennifer Savage, a Cisville resident, used the commission’s public-comment period on March 31 to accuse Commissioner Bob Stevenson of reaching out to people running for public office and discouraging them from participating in select public forums.

"Commissioner Bob Stevenson has been contacting candidates running for public office and discouraging them from participating in select public forums and open civic engagement," Savage said, adding that such conduct ‘‘runs directly counter to the openness and engagement our community deserves.’’ She asked other commissioners to "take this matter seriously" and asked whether they could vote to sanction Stevenson.

A commissioner interrupted to request that Savage finish her remarks and the board indicated it would be available after the meeting to discuss concerns raised during public comment. No formal motion to investigate or sanction was introduced on the dais during the March 31 session.

Savage framed her request as a defense of civic access in a county she said already has limited countywide media coverage and few chances for residents to hear directly from candidates. "Transparency is not optional. Open dialogue is not optional," she said.

The allegation was the most consequential complaint aired during the comment period, but the commission proceeded with its posted agenda items — including administrative votes and contract approvals — and did not announce any immediate follow-up action or referral to staff or counsel in open session. The meeting record shows no vote, motion, or staff report addressing the allegation during the March 31 meeting.

Any next steps — such as an investigation, referral to an ethics body, or a formal motion by a commissioner — would require an explicit action on a subsequent agenda or a recorded motion on the record. The commission encouraged the commenter to speak with members after the meeting but took no public disciplinary action at adjournment.