PITTSFIELD — Local officials have a chance to brush up on one of the most important aspects of a free society — open meetings.
The Berkshire district attorney's office and the Public Records Division of the secretary of the commonwealth are sponsoring a training session on the open meeting law for municipal boards and public officials on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Open meeting laws ensure that public officials conduct the business of the people with openness and transparency. It limits the use of closed-door meetings to matters that could do governmental bodies or individuals harm — such as negotiations with bargaining units or over real property, or discussions over litigation. Still, any actions based on executive session discussions must be made in the open and recorded.
Massachusetts' law has been on the books since 1958 and covers governmental boards and committees, whether appointed or elected. The state's district attorneys investigate violations of open meeting law.
Calls have been made over the past several years to put more teeth into the enforcement of the law. Violating the law at present carries no penalty. One reform measure would fine the members of any governmental body failing to abide by the law but has made little headway.
District Attorney David F. Capeless says the training this week will provide a summary of the open meeting and public records laws as they apply to governmental bodies and municipal officials. Topics to be discussed include the effect that electronic communications and records storage have on the application of these laws, particularly in the context of e-mails between board members and the creation of electronic records.
The training will be held at the Susan B. Anthony Center at Berkshire Community College from 7 to 9 p.m.
