Open Meeting Complaint

Open Meeting Law Complaints vs TMLWP

On May 1, 2012, I was a Light and Water Commissioner. As such, I attended the TMLWP meeting. As is the custom for the Light and Water Commission, the meeting is not posted on the website, only at the Town Clerk’s bulletin board on Elm St. The Commissioners do not receive a copy of the agendas before the meeting. All the materials for these meetings are received at the meeting itself.

The posting for the meeting included an executive session to discuss solar energy proposals and a commissioner’s blog. No exemption was given to enter into the executive session. This is the “blog” entry that was going to be discussed. Because the blog was identified as “Julie’s Blog” ( April 24, 2012) I had a pretty good idea the discussion was going to concern me. I stated that I was not properly notified 48 hours in advance of the meeting, so I left the meeting.

I filed this OML complaint against the TMLWP manager and chairman on May 3, 2012. I made a public records request to review the minutes from the executive session held at the may 1^st meeting. I received this communication from Mr. Driscoll. The response I received back from Mr. Driscoll regarding my OML complaint was interesting to say the least. I think more training is definitely in order for the manager and the commissioners of TMLWP.

After reading Mr. Driscoll’s response to my OML complaint, I remembered the Commissioners meeting back on March 13^th. I recalled a similar executive session posting. I found the material from this meeting, including the agenda posting. (There are a few documents included here)

One thing I would like to point out is that I left this meeting after the water meeting, to attend a school committee meeting. The minutes (included) reflect my presence at the water meeting, but not the light meeting. Another executive session had been posted without the exemption listed. Included was the material from Pauly’s blog entitled “What Leonard Kopelman will do for you!”( February 13, 2012) printed out in color. I returned to the meeting quite late, expecting everyone to be gone. Instead I entered the conference room where a discussion was taking place about my blog entry. I have filed another OML violation against TMLWP manager and commissioners. (I needed to continue the complaint onto another sheet.) I do not have the executive session minutes from that March 13 executive session meeting, maybe the Attorney General’s office will be “permitted” to view them?

Julie Farrell