TL;DR: Stick to the pattern. If/when you can’t, cancel. If you absolutely have to reschedule, don’t block another meetings pattern (which will be a challenge).
Last Monday (2016-12-26) was the fourth Monday of the month, regularly scheduled time for the Village Zoning Board to meet. They met on Thursday (2016-12-29) instead.
Tonight is the first Monday of the month, regularly scheduled time for the Village Planning Board to meet. They are scheduled to meet next Monday instead (2017-01-09).
Next Monday (2017-01-09) is the second Monday of the month, regularly scheduled time for the Mendon Town Board to meet.
In the case of the Zoning Board meeting of 12-29, they rescheduled well enough. To the best of my knowledge, there were no other meetings that night. On the other hand, the items for discussion could have easily been delayed a month.
In the case of the Planning Board meeting of 1-9, they rescheduled poorly. There are (at least) two other meetings the night they rescheduled too. While I cannot speak to the items to be discussed (agenda not currently available), odds are good it could wait until next month. And if it couldn’t, Thursday? Or stick to the pattern. New Year’s Eve is the time to celebrate, we’re two days later at this point.
The above points out how rescheduling one meeting, can cause conflicts with another. While not the end of the world, it does prevent being able to attend both meetings, should someone want to (I do). If, instead, there was no rescheduling, and groups stuck to their predictable pattern, it would be possible to go to both meetings.
Some groups have to meet, they have business that can’t wait (for various reasons). Others could easily delay until the next regularly scheduled time. Sure, it would be nice to get things done now, but most things can wait.
For private groups it really doesn’t matter, they exist for their own private reasons. But for public entities, that (supposedly) welcome and encourage the public to observe their actions, it’s entirely different. Out of pattern events, be they a different time or place, are hidden. Not because people can’t show up, but because people are less likely to know about it. Or if they do, have scheduling conflicts.
Not accusing anyone involved of malicious behavior. We are all doing our best as we muddle through in life. And I can acknowledge that keeping to the pattern can have it’s own problems at times, which could annoy just as many people as rescheduling. You can’t make everyone happy (nor should you try). I am merely stating my preference for establishing a pattern and sticking to it, as much as humanly possible.
That’s really it in a nutshell: Stick to the pattern. If/when you can’t, cancel. If you absolutely have to reschedule, don’t block another meetings pattern (which will be hard).
This may be the first time I’m bringing this up here, but I doubt it will be the last (I’m looking at you, 2017-01-16).