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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.8pt"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">Christian and Harry,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.8pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.8pt"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">Sounds like I’m missing it but I raised the question based on highlighted text in AG guidance. 40A Section 11 requires date, time and place for public hearings. I will restate my question this way. If we are holding public hearings in person are we required to provide adequate alternative means?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.8pt"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.8pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">Updated guidance on holding meetings pursuant to the Act Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">Guidance Update – June 16, 2021</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">On June 16, 2021, Governor Baker signed into law An Act Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency. This Act includes an extension, until April 1, 2022, of the remote meeting provisions of his March 12, 2020, Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law. The new law has two major parts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">First, the new law allows public bodies to continue providing live “adequate, alternative means” of public access to the deliberations of the public body, instead of holding meetings in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public. “Adequate, alternative means” may include, without limitation, providing public access through telephone, internet, or satellite enabled audio or video conferencing or any other technology that enables the public to clearly follow the proceedings of the public body in real time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">Second, the new law authorizes all members of a public body to continue participating in meetings remotely; the Open Meeting Law’s requirement that a quorum of the body and the chair be physically present at the meeting location remains suspended.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">The new law provides that a municipal public body that, for reasons of economic hardship and despite best efforts, is unable to provide alternative means of public access that will enable the public to follow the proceedings in real time, may instead post a full and complete transcript, recording, or other comprehensive record on its website as soon as practicable after the meeting. In light of the various free and low-cost technologies that could be used to provide the public with real time access, the Division of Open Government strongly recommends that a municipal public body consult with our office before determining that it is unable to provide the public with real time access to a meeting. <span style="background:yellow">Furthermore, this provision is not available for meetings when another general or special law, regulation or a local ordinance or by-law requires allowance for active participation by members of the public, such as in the case of certain public hearings.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#141414">All other provisions of the Open Meeting Law and regulations, such as the requirements regarding posting notice of meetings and creating and maintaining accurate meeting minutes, remain in effect. Public bodies are reminded that notice of all meetings must be posted at least 48 hours in advance, not including weekends and holidays, and the meeting notice must clearly specify how the public may access the meeting, whether in-person, remote or both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">Richard J. McCarthy, Jr.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">Town Planner</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">1 Liberty Lane</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">Norfolk, MA 02056</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">508-440-2807</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">Office Hours- Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d">Closed Fridays</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Please be advised that the Secretary of State has determined that e-mail sent by or received by municipal employees is a public record.</span><span style="color:#1f497d"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> MassPlanners [mailto:<a href="mailto:massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org">massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Christian Brandt<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 17, 2021 10:22 AM<br><b>To:</b> Harry LaCortiglia<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] S2475</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Good Morning All!</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">The AGO released this new guidance pertaining to virtual and hybrid meetings which you can find here: <a href="https://www.mass.gov/service-details/updated-guidance-on-holding-meetings-pursuant-to-the-act-extending-certain-covid-19-measures">https://www.mass.gov/service-details/updated-guidance-on-holding-meetings-pursuant-to-the-act-extending-certain-covid-19-measures</a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">I've pasted the first three paragraphs below:</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p style="margin-top:0in;box-sizing:inherit;margin-bottom:1.75rem"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#141414">This Act includes an extension, until April 1, 2022, of the remote meeting provisions of his March 12, 2020, Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law. The new law has two major parts.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0in;box-sizing:inherit;margin-bottom:1.75rem"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#141414">First, the new law allows public bodies to continue providing live “adequate, alternative means” of public access to the deliberations of the public body, instead of holding meetings in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public. “Adequate, alternative means” may include, without limitation, providing public access through telephone, internet, or satellite enabled audio or video conferencing or any other technology that enables the public to clearly follow the proceedings of the public body in real time.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0in;box-sizing:inherit;margin-bottom:1.75rem"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#141414">Second, the new law authorizes all members of a public body to continue participating in meetings remotely; the Open Meeting Law’s requirement that a quorum of the body and the chair be physically present at the meeting location remains suspended.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>So, based on that I think the very short answer is that you can continue to hold virtual-only meetings for the time being.</b></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Best,</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Christian Brandt, AICP</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Planner and Community Engagement Specialist I</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Metropolitan Area Planning Council</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">617-933-0796 | <a href="mailto:cbrandt@mapc.org">cbrandt@mapc.org</a> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Den tor. 17. jun. 2021 kl. 10.07 skrev Harry LaCortiglia <<a href="mailto:hlacortiglia@comcast.net">hlacortiglia@comcast.net</a>>:</p></div><blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #cccccc 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in"><div><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Hi Richard,</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Respectfully, you're wrong.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">My read is that for Hearings, virtual is ok provided we allow for "Participation". </span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">We've been conducting Hearings this way via Zoom for months now. The Public posting of the Meeting on the town website provides a link and a phone number for anyone who wishes to join us. We've conducted Hearings with participation of well over a hundred citizens. When Public comment time comes, folks hold their virtual hands up for recognition by the Chair. They are then un-muted and provide testimony or ask questions. (It's actually working far better than I had anticipated.) </span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">This latest extension language from the legislature and signed by the Governor is below. (Please excuse the line numbers and the crude paste job...)</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">I do recognize that some communities may be using a Remote Participation Application that doesn't allow for the public to join them without a specific invitation. If that's the case, then you're up the creek... or more accurately, you're in the real world meeting room again. ;)</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Good Luck,</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">H. LaCortiglia</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Chairman Georgetown P.B> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:13.5pt"><br><br>138 SECTION 20. (a) For the purposes of this section, “adequate, alternative means of public<br>139 access” shall mean measures that provide transparency and permit timely and effective public<br>140 access to the deliberations of the public body, including, but not limited to, providing public<br>141 access through telephone, internet, satellite enabled audio or video conferencing or any other<br>142 technology that enables the public to clearly follow the proceedings of the public body while<br>143 those activities are occurring.<br>144 (b) Notwithstanding section 20 of chapter 30A of the General Laws or any general or<br>145 special law to the contrary, a public body, as defined in section 18 of said chapter 30A, shall not<br>146 be required to conduct its meetings in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the<br>147 public; provided, that if the public body does not conduct the meeting in a public place that is<br>148 open and physically accessible to the public, the public body shall ensure public access to the<br>149 deliberations of the public body for interested members of the public through adequate,<br>150 alternative means of public access. Where active, real-time participation by members of the<br>151 public is a specific requirement of a general or special law, regulation or a local ordinance or by-<br>152 law, pursuant to which the proceeding is conducted, any adequate, alternative means of public<br>153 access shall provide for such participation and shall be sufficient to meet such participation<br>154 requirement. A municipal public body that for reasons of economic hardship and despite best<br>155 efforts is unable to provide adequate, alternative means of public access that will enable the<br>156 public to follow the proceedings of the municipal public body as those activities are occurring in<br>157 real time may instead post on its municipal website a full and complete transcript, recording or<br>158 other comprehensive record of the proceedings as soon as practicable upon conclusion of the<br>159 proceedings. This paragraph shall not apply to proceedings that are conducted pursuant to a<br>160 general or special law, regulation or a local ordinance or by-law that requires allowance for<br>161 active participation by members of the public. A public body shall offer its selected adequate,<br>162 alternative means of public access to its proceedings without subscription, toll or similar charge<br>163 to the public.<br>164 (c) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 20 of chapter 30A of the General Laws or<br>165 any other general or special law to the contrary, a public body may allow remote participation by<br>166 all members in any meeting of the public body and a quorum of the body and the chair shall not<br>167 be required to be physically present at a specified meeting location.<br>168 (d) A public body that elects to conduct its proceedings under this section shall ensure<br>169 that any party entitled or required to appear before it shall be able to appear through remote<br>170 means, as if the party were a member of the public body and participating remotely as provided<br>171 in subsection (b).<br>172 (e) All other provisions of sections 18 to 25 of chapter 30A of the General Laws and the<br>173 attorney general’s implementing regulations shall otherwise remain unchanged and fully<br>174 applicable to the activities of public bodies.<br>175 (f) Notwithstanding said section 20 of said chapter 30A, if this section does not take<br>176 effect until after June 15, 2021, a public body may provide for remote meetings as specified in<br>177 this section and any action taken thereof shall be ratified, validated and confirmed as if this<br>178 section had been in place.</span></p><p> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">On 6/17/2021 9:38 AM, Richard McCarthy wrote:</p></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Good morning all,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Seeking clarity, if we have public hearings those have to be in person the extension only pertains to business that’s not a public hearing.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">I’m right or wrong? </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Sincerely,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Richard J. McCarthy, Jr.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Town Planner</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">1 Liberty Lane</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Norfolk, MA 02056</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">508-440-2807</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Office Hours- Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Closed Fridays</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">Please be advised that the Secretary of State has determined that e-mail sent by or received by municipal employees is a public record.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></blockquote></div><p class="MsoNormal">-- <br>MassPlanners mailing list<br><a href="mailto:MassPlanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">MassPlanners@masscptc.org</a><br><a href="http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org" target="_blank">http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</a></p></blockquote></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all"></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal">-- </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><em>Christian Brandt</em></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><i>90 School Street, Somerville, MA 02143</i></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><em><a href="mailto:christian.w.brandt.12@gmail.com" target="_blank">christian.w.brandt.12@gmail.com</a> </em></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><em>208.596.2895</em></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>