MA Attorney General: Update on the Open Meeting Law

Guidance from the Division of Open Government

View this email in your browser   Update from the Division of Open Government 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.   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.   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.   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. 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.   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.   NOTE: Due to a typographical error in the final draft of the legislation, three paragraphs in Section 20(b) were compressed into one paragraph. Based on the legislative history of the new law and the Legislature's clearly-demonstrated intent, the Attorney General interprets the sentence "This paragraph shall not apply to proceedings that are conducted pursuant to a general or special law, regulation or a local ordinance or by-law that requires allowance for active participation by members of the public" as only applying to the economic hardship exception in the prior sentence, not to the entire paragraph of subsection (b).   In partnership, The Attorney General's Division of Open Government Copyright © 2021 Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Massachusetts Attorney General's Office Division of Open Government 1 Ashburton Place, 20th Floor Boston, MA 02108

Empty Bowls silent/virtual auction ends June 21, 2021 at 10 PM

If you haven't got a bid in for one or more of the fabulous ceramic works of art, please make the time to do so before the auction closes out Thursday, Jun 17 at 10 PM.

"Good news! We are extending the deadline for the Empty Bowls auction until Monday, June 21!!!!!! Get your bids in and don't miss your chance to own a one of a kind ceramic piece AND help The Pantry! "

Auction web page -> https://sites.google.com/view/emptybowls6/home

Listen to "Inside the Empty Bowls 2021 preparations"

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/fm-561-inside-empty-bowls-2021-060821.html 

All this to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry. You can donate directly to the Pantry on the Empty Bowls page or at the Pantry page  https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/ 

Come bid on these one of a kind hand-made items. #emptybowls

Help send Caroline and her coach to the CrossFit Games

We are holding a fundraiser on June 26 at Timeless Crossfit and Fitness to help raise the funds to send Caroline Woelfel and her coach to the CrossFit Games. The FUNdraiser will include games and a fitness workout for everyBODY!

Funds raised will be used towards training and travel expenses including airfare, lodging and food while at the games for Caroline and her coach.

We are preparing raffle prizes and gift baskets to help in this effort. Baskets include Beauty for her and him, Home and Garden, Kid Fun, Sweet Treats, Dine Around, Golf and Fitness, Pet Pampering and more.

We are asking if you could please help us with a donation of products, food, services, or gift cards to support this important fundraising event.

send Caroline and her coach to the CrossFit Games

Please don’t forget to COME JOIN US for this FUNdraiser! 

Caroline Woelfel is a junior at Franklin High School. She has been competing in CrossFit for the past two years and has qualified to compete in this year’s CrossFit Games at the end of July in Madison, Wisconsin. This elite invitation is offered to the top 20 fittest athletes in the age group. Caroline earned her spot from among 1,600 - 16/17 year old girls from around the WORLD!

 June 26th 9 AM to noon – all ages and bodies welcome & Workout Optional!

Timeless CrossFit and Fitness 90 Hayward Street, Franklin MA

Contact: MC Alexander at mc@timelesscrossfit.com or Kelli Woelfel at kelliwoelfel@gmail.com to donate~

Thank you!

Follow Caroline and Timeless Instagram accounts for updates on her competition! @woelfelcf (https://www.instagram.com/woelfelcf/) @timelesscrossfitandfitnes  (https://www.instagram.com/timelesscrossfit/)

Q&A on Franklin Matters - June 17 at 1:30 PM

Get your Franklin questions answered on Thursday, June 17 at 1:30 PM. 

This is a virtual event coordinated with the Senior Center = "Franklin Matters Q&A with Steve Sherlock"

email adoggett@franklinma.gov to attend

Q&A on Franklin Matters - June 17 at 1:30 PM

Franklins Future Leaders Wednesday Wishes

Franklins Future Leaders Wednesday Wishes will continue in September. To all who participles and donated, Thank you. Wednesday Wishes provided meals and gifts for families (ages 2-18)  for families in need. 

Franklins Future Leaders Wednesday Wishes

We pursue our collection of Gift Cards for Franklins condo fire victims until Friday June 18th, as these will be given directly in the hands of those affected. 

Gift Cards for Franklins condo fire victims

Continuing, we are collecting new “Backpacks for kids” for Franklins Food Pantry until August 13th. And our “Art Fundraiser” to support our Fire Stations and Police Stations move forward. 

Our list of activities are numerous and we look forward to helping our community. Our re-useable bags are $10 each. Look for us in July’s Franklin News Paper! 

Franklins Future Leaders are a non for profit organization supported by The Dance Studio. Children learn the importance of helping our community, as well as, how the community helps us. If you would  like to donate, please email me at cas324@msn.com or message me! — with Kristine Desmarais and 6 others.

 

Office hours back at the Senior Center - June 17 - 8:30 AM

Senior Coffee Hour w/ State & Local Officials

Event Date:  Thursday, June 17, 2021 - 8:30 AM

Thursday, June 17 at 8:30 AM at the Center!  

State Rep. Jeff Roy, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Town Council Members will be available to chat and answer your questions.

Office hours back at the Senior Center - June 17 - 8:30 AM

FHS baseball, softball, and boys tennis teams post wins on Tuesday

From HockomockSports.com we share the FHS spring sports results:

 
Baseball = Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final 

– Four Franklin pitchers combined to toss a one-hit shutout as the Panthers closed the regular season with their 13th win of the year. Jacob Jette, Alfred Mucciarone (win), Ethan Voellmicke, and James Kuczmiec didn’t allow any runs with just one hit allowed. Ben Jarosz clubbed three hits to lead the Panthers’ offense, scoring twice. Jack Marino added two hits and three RBI and Eisig Chin drove in a run.

Softball = Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 11 – Final 

– Attleboro bounced back with a big offensive outing to split the season series with Franklin. The Bombardiers got off to a good start with two runs in the first, adding four runs in each the second and the fourth before scoring once more in the sixth. Hailey Perry led the charge for the hosts with four hits, including two doubles, and three RBI, while Riley Camacho (double, four RBI) and Lora Woyton (double, triple, four RBI) each clubbed three hits for Attleboro, which had 17 total hits. Lauren Eby, Natalie Mansur, and Brenna Morse each added two hits in the win. Woyton earned her fourth win of the season, striking out eight in a complete game effort. For Franklin, Gabby Colace and Molly Collins (triple) each had a pair of hits while Carly Johnson-Pellegri drive in two runs.

Boys Tennis = Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 

– Taking three wins from singles and one more in doubles action, Franklin knocked off Attleboro and finished the regular season at 14-0. All four matches were won in straight sets with Liam Marr (first singles), Vayshnav Malhotra (second), Drew Mahoney (third), and the team of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas (second doubles) all winning 6-0, 6-1. First doubles was not finished due to rain.

For the complete results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-06-15-21/

FHS Panthers