{"id":42,"date":"2025-10-08T16:05:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/?p=42"},"modified":"2025-10-08T16:05:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:05:35","slug":"open-meeting-law-complaints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/?p=42","title":{"rendered":"Open Meeting Law Complaints"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MacAskill Files Open Meeting Law Complaint Against Select Board<\/div>
Former select board member Michael MacAskill has filed an Open Meeting Law complaint with the Attorney General\u2019s Office against the\u2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Former Select Board member Michael MacAskill<\/strong> filed a formal Open Meeting Law (OML) complaint<\/strong> with the Massachusetts Attorney General against the Harwich Select Board<\/strong>. He claims the board secretly discussed and acted on public business in private (executive session or via email) when they legally shouldn\u2019t have. If the AG agrees, the board could face orders to redo votes in public, revise minutes, or undergo mandatory OML training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

1. Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Massachusetts\u2019\u00a0Open Meeting Law (MGL c.30A \u00a7\u00a718\u201325)<\/strong>\u00a0requires that government boards discuss public business\u00a0in public<\/strong>, with proper\u00a0notice and transparency<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Executive sessions<\/strong>\u00a0(closed meetings) are allowed only for specific reasons\u2014like discussing union negotiations, lawsuits, or personnel discipline\u2014and must be listed accurately on the meeting notice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    2. Main Allegations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    (a) Improper Executive Session Topic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • The board allegedly went into executive session to discuss the\u00a0DPW Director\u2019s salary<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • MacAskill argues that since the DPW Director is\u00a0not under a union or contract<\/strong>, salary decisions should have been discussed\u00a0in open session<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • He also says the\u00a0meeting notice<\/strong>\u00a0didn\u2019t list specific details (like which employee or union), which violates OML requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      (b) Serial Deliberation (Backdoor Discussions)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • MacAskill claims board members\u00a0discussed town business via email<\/strong>, effectively deliberating without a public meeting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Example: Chair\u00a0Donald Howell<\/strong>\u00a0allegedly referenced another member\u2019s opinion (\u201cPete\u2019s expressed desire\u2026\u201d) in an email chain, creating what legally counts as a\u00a0quorum discussion outside a meeting<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Other examples include:\n
          \n
        • Discussion of an\u00a0acting town administrator\u2019s appointment and pay<\/strong>\u00a0via private correspondence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • A salary decision that appears to have been\u00a0pre-agreed upon<\/strong>\u00a0without public debate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          (c) Inadequate Public Notice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Meeting notices allegedly lacked the\u00a0required level of detail<\/strong>\u2014for example, failing to specify the employee names or contract types under discussion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n

            3. Requested Remedies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            MacAskill\u2019s complaint asks that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. The board\u00a0publicly apologize<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Chair\u00a0Howell resign<\/strong>\u00a0as chair.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. Executive session minutes be revised<\/strong>\u00a0to include missing contract details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            4. The\u00a0DPW discussion be redone<\/strong>\u00a0in open session.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            5. The board\u00a0undergo state OML training<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
              \n\n\n\n

              4. Context and Implications<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • This is\u00a0the second OML complaint<\/strong>\u00a0in one month (another by\u00a0Ron Beaty<\/strong>), suggesting a pattern of possible transparency issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • The Attorney General\u2019s Office (Division of Open Government)<\/strong>\u00a0investigates OML complaints and can:\n
                  \n
                • Order corrective action (redo votes, release minutes, issue training).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Publicly reprimand the board.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • In repeat or serious cases, refer matters for legal enforcement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • The board\u2019s attorney,\u00a0Michele Randazzo (KP Law)<\/strong>, will respond on their behalf.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                  \n\n\n\n

                  5. Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  MacAskill is alleging that the Harwich Select Board conducted public business behind closed doors<\/strong> and failed to properly notify the public<\/strong>, both of which undermine transparency.
                  If upheld, this could force new public discussions<\/strong>, require formal apologies or retraining<\/strong>, and damage the board\u2019s credibility<\/strong> heading into future decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Former Select Board member Michael MacAskill filed a formal Open Meeting Law (OML) complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General against the Harwich Select Board. He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42\/revisions\/43"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notsofastkaren.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}