Selectmen Hit With 2 Open Meeting Law Violations

STOUGHTON, MA — The Stoughton Board of Selectmen committed two open meeting law violations when they released insufficient agendas for two meetings over the summer.

In rulings released this week, the state Attorney General's office determined that the June 29 and July 25 meeting notices did not have sufficient information. In both cases, the agenda stated that the board was meeting to consider and appoint an interim town manager.

In the June 29 case, a complaint alleges that board members deliberated outside of an open meeting, and posted a meeting notice that contained insufficient details about an anticipated discussion topic. At that meeting, Town Accountant William Rowe was named the interim town manager in a meeting that lasted less than 15 minutes.

The AG's office did not find any evidence that the selectmen discussed the issue outside of the meeting.

According to the decision, Rowe was approached by Selectmen Chairman David Sousa about being the interim town manager twice in the five weeks prior to the vote. The complaint states that the move to appoint Rowe with little discussion implied that there had been prior communication among board members about the topic.

"We have stated in prior determinations that agreement among public body members is insufficient to support the inference that those members deliberated," the decision read.

The AG's office did agree that since Sousa intended on nominating Rowe for the position, Rowe's name should have appeared on the agenda.

Like the June 29 decision, the AG's office determined that there is no evidence that board members discussed the issue outside an open meeting, but the notice for the July 25 meeting was insufficient.

At the July 25 meeting, Steve Anastos was named the interim town manager in a meeting that lasted a few minutes. Again, the AG's office ruled that since it was known that Anastos was going to be nominated for the position, his name should have been included on the agenda.

Since last month, the board has been hit with three violations. Last month, the AG's office determined that the selectmen violated open meeting law when it was announced prior to a meeting that they were being recorded by Stoughton Media Access Corporation television.

Image: File Photo