Falmouth Board Of Health Violated State Open Meeting Law: AG

FALMOUTH, MA — The state attorney general's office found the Falmouth Board of Health violated the Open Meeting Law by not sufficiently informing the public that it planned to discuss a syringe exchange program during a meeting last year. The board unanimously approved a letter of support for the program at the Nov. 19 meeting, which was required for it to receive state funding.

Three residents filed complaints with the attorney general's office in the months following the meeting. Assistant Attorney General KerryAnne Kilcoyne ruled in a letter to Town Counsel Frank Duffy that the Board of Health "violated the Open Meeting Law by failing to include sufficient detail that the Board would be discussing and approving a syringe access program."

The AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod's proposal to open a syringe exchange across from St. Anthony's Church in East Falmouth received pushback from area residents. Kilcoyne ruled that the Board of Health did not violate the Open Meeting Law by failing to include the proposed location on its agenda because the board learned of the location during its meeting.

Duffy told the Cape Cod Times "we learn and amend our practices." The attorney general's office will not seek remedial action, as the Board of Health held a public forum about the exchange in January following complaints from Falmouth residents.

The AIDS Support Group withdrew its plans for a syringe exchange program in Falmouth. It instead plans to open a health clinic and operate a syringe exchange service out of a mobile outreach van.