[Massplanners] Open Meeting Law & Remote Participation

[George Proakis]

I don’t think there’s anything precluding hybrid meetings, now or in the future. So, if the technology is set up right, members of the public can participate remote. And, yes the old rule allowed one and only one board member to be remote.  

But:
a.  having more than one board member remote; or
b.  limiting public in-person access and allowing the public to ONLY participate through a remote method 
is only allowed because of the legislature’s June vote to extend covid protections until April 2022.

My expectation is that the legislature will create a bill to allow some longer-term flexibility, but this is the MA legislature we are talking about here, so chances are that they will pass the bill sometime around midnight on the day that the current one expires.  (remember, in June they actually passed the extension one day AFTER the previous one had expired, and my community needed to cancel a remote budget hearing scheduled for one night in June because of that).

-George Proakis
Somerville, MA

> On Dec 10, 2021, at 10:17 AM, Douglas Finn via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:
> 
> Even in pre-covid times, one member of a board or committee could participate remotely -- under certain, somewhat limiting circumstances.
> 
> However, I don't know that remote participation by applicants, or members of the public was precluded -- provided that the meeting was always open to in-person attendance and participation.  Perhaps someone else could confirm?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> - Doug.
> 
> Douglas Finn, Assistant
> Edgartown Planning Board
> 70 Main Street, PO Box 5130
> Edgartown, MA 02539
> 508-627-6170
> dfinn at edgartown-ma.us <mailto:dfinn at edgartown-ma.us>
> 
> On Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 10:05 AM Rachel Benson via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org <mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>> wrote:
> Hi Everybody!
> 
> Has there been any movement to permanently change the open meeting law requirement to allow for remote participation of the public and Board members after April 2022?  
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you and have a great day!
> 
>  
> 
> Rachel Benson
> 
> Director of Planning & Economic Development
> 
> Town of Wrentham
> 
> 79 South Street
> 
> Wrentham, MA  02093
> 
> 508-384-5400 x5441
> 
> www.wrentham.ma.us <http://www.wrentham.ma.us/>
>  
> 
> Please be advised that the Massachusetts Secretary of State considers e-mail to be a public record, and therefore subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66 § 10.
> 
>  
> 
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