Oops! I am not only bad at math, I can't follow directions. I thought my BFF was taking me to a meeting of disabled poets last night. We, poets, like to share our craft.
I WAS WRONG! I sit down and I recognized some people and it wasn't for their lyrical talent. Rick Starbard and Patti Capano were there. Gardy was there from the mayor's office (I'm sure he would quickly remind everyone that he was not the mayor - doesn't the mayor usually wear a dress anyway). Jack Dolan, Area Director of the Dept. of Children and Families along with some other Dept. official was there. Oh yeah, that Delores lady who's running for school committee was there. Id say her last name but it hurts my tongue. Alliteration can be dangerous.
They had printed agendas probably on their letterhead but I never picked one up. No matter, they never followed it anyway. My BFF said she couldn't find it posted anywhere like it's supposed to be for an open meeting according to the "Open Meeting law".
Since my BFF thought it was an open meeting, she was going to tape it for "Lynnhappens"(darn competitor, sorta). However, there was quite a hub bub about being on camera. Questions about quorum and since invitations were sent out then arguments were made that this was a private meeting. The old barbecue analogy was trotted out as to why this wasn't a "real" open meeting.
True that! Don't tell anyone but I didn't have an invitation and I introduced myself to everyone. Nobody said Nothing. I was wondering with all those important people there how could it NOT be an open meeting and why didn't they want it taped. I guess us, poets are shy people.
So what happened at the meeting? Anything discussed?
ReplyDeleteAnon 458, I don't know if I should tell you since I didn't have an invitation. Oh well, here goes. There was a little complaining, tales of retaliation and plenty of blame about parents not being involved at least not on some people's terms. There was a call for better communication and a more positive outlook. Does that sound a little hypocritical to anyone?
ReplyDeleteHey Stan,
ReplyDeleteThis is straight from the Attorney General's Guide to Open Meetings:
"The Open Meeting Law defines deliberation as “an oral or written communication through any medium, including electronic mail, between or among a quorum of a public body on any public business within its jurisdiction.” Distributing a meeting agenda, scheduling or procedural information, or reports or documents that may be discussed at the meeting will not constitute deliberation, so long as the material does not express the opinion of a member of the public body. E-mail exchanges between or among a quorum of members of a public body discussing matters within the body’s jurisdiction may constitute deliberation, even where the sender of the email does not ask for a response from the recipients.
To be a deliberation, the communication must involve a quorum of the public body. A quorum is usually a simple majority of the members of a public body. Thus, a communication among fewer than a quorum of the members of a public body will not be a deliberation, unless there are multiple communications among the members of the public body that would together be a communication among a quorum of members. Courts have held that the Open Meeting Law applies when members of a public body communicate in a manner that seeks to evade the application of the law. Thus, in some circumstances, communications between two members of a public body, when taken together with other communications, may be a deliberation."
So, my reading of this boils it down to: if a quorum of a public body (school committee) exists and they are expressing opinion about "any public business with in its jurisdiction" then it should fall under the Open Meeting Law. Thankfully the school committee didn't show up in a quorum! Or they could have and just posted it...
P.S. I have yet another call into the Attorney General's Office to get further schooled in the issue. :)
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean the first annual Lynn School Committee barbecue is a no go? Maybe I'll just have a "roast".
ReplyDelete