Snapshot: It's For You, Walpole

While the Board of Selectmen were in snowy Walpole for their meeting last night Selectmen chair Eric Kraus was 775 miles away on the tropical island of Bermuda.

That didn't stop him, however, from particpating in the meeting via telephone thanks to the state's remote participation regulation adopted in 2011 under the Open Meeting Law.

The board voted to adopt remote participation back in Oct. 2012.

Kraus was on a business trip in Bermuda where he recently accepted a new position as senior vice president and chief communications and corporate affairs officer of rum selling giant Bacardi.

Under the law Kraus was able to participate in the meeting but could not chair it. It was the first time officials in Walpole had utilized the policy.

After the meeting the selectmen said they liked remote participation but will be looking at the possibility of using Skype next time.