A week before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission is set to possibly take a second vote on the controversial roundabout project in Oak Bluffs, MVC executive director Mark London sent an unusual e-mail to commissioners warning them not to talk about the issue with members of the public or read commentary in local newspapers.

“Commissioners should not discuss the issue with each other or with anyone else,” Mr. London said in the e-mail sent to commissioners on Wednesday. “If you are approached by a member of the public or an elected official, you should politely but firmly refuse to engage in conversation about the matter . . . Also, you should avoid reading additional materials about this issue, including commentary in local newspapers.”

At their meeting next Thursday, Nov. 3, the commission is expected to consider rescinding its 7-6 vote to approve the roundabout from two weeks ago and take a fresh vote. The move to reconsider was pressed by commissioner Leonard Jason Jr. last week, an outspoken opponent of the roundabout.

Reached by telephone on Friday, Mr. London said the e-mail was simply a reminder about a protocol spelled out in a manual that commissioners receive when they join the regional planning agency.

“It’s a standard thing that applies always when there’s a DRI before the commission,” Mr. London said. “If someone comes up to a commissioner in the grocery store about a project that’s being reviewed by the commission they are supposed to say, I know you want to talk to me about that but I can’t talk to you about that now, if you have a suggestion to make please come to the public hearing or submit something to the public record. All the commissioners should hear what you have to say, not just me,” Mr. London said.

Mr. London said that while the commissioners are elected by and represent the public there is a time and place for debating the merits of a project.

“Sure they represent the public,” he said. “But the way it works is that it is similar to a jury. When they are acting as a normal planning commission that’s fine, but when they are acting on a DRI they are acting in a quasi-judicial function. This applies to any town planning board. It does not apply to a board of selectmen who are supposed to be out there talking to people all the time but it does apply to bodies that are doing adjudicatory hearings.”

Mr. London said that ex-parte communication extended to the press.

“I don’t know how much control we have about commissioners reading newspapers but in principal they shouldn’t,” he said. “Unless editorials are submitted as evidence in the hearing they shouldn’t consider it.”

The full text of the e-mail follows:

“Since there may be a motion to rescind the decision on the Oak Bluffs roundabout on Nov. 3, the issue is still pending before the commission. Therefore, commissioners should follow all of the ordinary procedures for public hearings and public meetings on pending applications. Ex-parte communications regarding this issue are still prohibited.

“Commissioners should not discuss the issue with each other or with anyone else. The only discussion that may take place is in the presence of other commissioners with proper notice to the parties and the public and opportunity for all commissioners to participate in the communication. This includes your participation in public meetings other than commission meetings.

“If you are approached by a member of the public or an elected official, you should politely but firmly refuse to engage in conversation about the matter. You can tell them that the hearing is now closed and it is too late to submit additional information or opinions; should the hearing be reopened, the public will be given notice and people can submit additional materials at that time.

“Also, you should avoid reading additional materials about this issue, including commentary in local newspapers.”