Selectmen Get a Lesson on Open Meeting Laws

Patch reported live from the Oct. 12 Seekonk Board of Selectmen meetingwhen the board and other committee members participated in a seminar from Joyce Frank, Esq. from Kopelman and Paige. The presentation discussed changes in new open meeting laws that have been in effect for the past year. The oversight and enforcement authority on the laws has changed hands from the District Attorney to the Attorney General.

8:20 p.m. - There are no comments from the public for community speaks. The meeting is ajourned.

Open Meeting Law Presentation

8:18 p.m. - The presentation now ended.

8:04 p.m. - The Attorney General's office has the power to void actions taken in violation of the open meeting laws and may also reinstate an employee if a violation of the open meeting law is found with regard to the decisions regarding their employment. Neither of these are powers the district attorney previously held, according to representatives.

8:00 p.m. - There are 10 reasons for convening executive session listed under section 21 of the law.

7:55 p.m. - Before going into executive session, the chair must state all subjects that may be revealed without compromising the purpose of the executive session.

 7:52 p.m. - Executive session minutes must be released when the purpose of the exemption has been met. These minutes must be reviewed by the chair. Requests for these minutes have to be met within 10 days of the request, unless they have yet to be reviewed by the chair. In that case they need to be provided before the board's next meeting or 30 days, whichever comes first.

7:44 p.m. - Laws regarding minutes have changed. A summary of the discussion of each subject should be included - not a transcript. Additionally, all votes should be recorded with how each individual member voted as well. Minutes should include a list of documents and other exhibits used by the public body. The minutes also need to include where these documents can be found.

7:41 p.m. - If there is a change of location for the meeting, the new location should be posted on the door of the original location. The same thing should be done if a meeting is canceled, additionally it's recommended that a member of the committee be there to inform anyone who shows up.

7:36 p.m. - Laws regarding meeting notices have changed. Notices must be posted 48 hours in advance with the 48 hours not including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. They must be posted in a public place that is available at all hours. The notices must include "a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting."

7:32 p.m. - One member cannot be, by definition, a sub-committee. Frank said this is something that can be useful for boards to use in negotiations to help two sides reach an agreement, without one party feeling like they are "in a fishbowl" in a public meeting.

7:24 p.m. - The local committees and boards are now considered public bodies rather than governmental bodies. Representatives said the change of wording was done in an effort to ensure that sub-committee meetings are subject to the open meeting laws.

7:22 p.m. - It is ecommended that a board post a notice of a meeting of their own if they know the board will be attending the meeting of another board or committee.

7:19 p.m. - The definition of a meeting does not include a quorum of members at an on-site inspection. The attendance of a quorum at a conference, training program, media or social event.

7:16 p.m. - The definition of deliberations has been changed to include email communications among a quorum of members.

7:12 p.m. - The presentation from Joyce Frank, Esq. from Kopelman and Paige has started. The seminar will discuss the new open meeting laws that have been in effect for the past year. The oversight and enforcement authority on the laws has changed hands from the District Attorney to the Attorney General.

7:08 p.m. - The selectmen are waiting for the start of a seminar on the new open meeting laws to be presented by Joyce Frank, Esq. Computer issues are delaying the start. The community speaks portion of the meeting will follow the conclusion of the seminar.

National Fire Week 

7:03 p.m. - The board of selectmen issued a proclamation to the Seekonk Fire Department in recognition of National Fire Safety Week. It was accepted on behalf of the department by Fire Chief Alan R. Jack.