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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Hi All!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">MAPC’s engagement team has run/designed/facilitated numerous hybrid meetings at this point and put all of our learnings and experiences into this webpage:
<a href="https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/hybrid-engagement/">https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/hybrid-engagement/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Legal requirements of your meetings notwithstanding, if you have questions about (or just want to talk through!) your hybrid set up please feel free to reach
out to me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="313" height="389" style="width:3.2569in;height:4.0555in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D8B6D7.17A17230"></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:teal"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:teal">Check out our
<a href="https://www.mapc.org/our-work/services-for-cities-towns/community-engagement/">
<span style="color:teal">Community Engagement Department</span></a> Website!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#E96662"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:teal"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Harry LaCortiglia via MassPlanners<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 23, 2022 7:39 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> massplanners@masscptc.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] Question - In-person board meeting with remote participation and quorum issue<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Hi Matthew,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">While I would submit that you are allowed to do so, although I would have reservations about your ability to accomplish it adequately from a purely technical perspective.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Both Board Members, as well as the public, must be able to see and hear the remote attending members (and the remote attendees need to be able to see everyone else, too). While this is simple
in a fully remote meeting, it can be challenging in a hybrid situation such as the one you are proposing, depending upon the equipment you have available to you.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Ultimately, however, I believe it is the Chairperson's call.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If the Chair believes you can overcome those technical hurdles then the meeting/hearing can move forward. If the remote attendees lose connection or the Chair decides that the technical problems
are disrupting the meeting, then they can determine that there is no quorum and you can ministerially continue the hearing due to a lack of quorum.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Again, I believe it is entirely the Chairperson's call.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If any members are attending remotely be sure to take roll call attendance at the beginning of the meeting, and all votes should be by roll call, if you do try it.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Finally, if you are meeting in person, while the State law allows in person meetings without a requirement for the quorum to be present, check to ensure that your local Remote Policy/Regs/Ordinances
of Pembroke don't prohibit it. Many communities adopted 940 CMR 29.10 by local acceptance. (That may be where you got the "old" requirement for the full quorum to be physically present. ) If so, you may have a conflict there.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">FYI- the legislature extended the Remote Meeting Order until March 31, 2023.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Good Luck!</span><br>
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">H. LaCortiglia</span><br>
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Georgetown P.B.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On 8/22/2022 10:36 AM, Matthew Heins via MassPlanners wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear MassPlanners,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the old days before Covid, I recall that it was allowable for one board member to participate remotely in a board meeting (under certain rules and restrictions, of course), provided that a quorum of the board was still physically present
at the meeting. Then with Covid, of course, entirely remote meetings became allowed, and I believe that state legislation was recently extended in mid-July. So my understanding is that entirely remote meetings (or hybrid meetings) are still allowed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now here’s my question: If we specify on the agenda that a planning board or zoning board meeting is taking place in person (with no mention of it being remote or hybrid, and no mention of a remote option), is it allowable (under the current
rules) if we don’t have a quorum physically present, but we do have a quorum counting both those participating remotely and those physically present?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I appreciate any advice you can provide.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Matthew Heins</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Planning Board Assistant<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Town of Pembroke<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Email: <a href="mailto:mheins@townofpembrokemass.org">mheins@townofpembrokemass.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phone: 781-709-1433 / Fax: 781-709-1453<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Address: Office of the Planning Board, Pembroke Town Hall, 100 Center St., Pembroke, MA 02359<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#000066"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#000066">This electronic message is confidential and intended for the named recipient only. Any dissemination, disclosure or distribution of the contents of this communication is unlawful and prohibited.
If you have received this message in error, please contact by return email or telephone (781-709-1433), and delete the copy you received. Thank you.</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</blockquote>
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