The County Commission concluded that the Attorney General's Office's Open Meeting Law Guide recommended that such votes be taken by roll call. Accordingly, the County Commission confirmed by roll call each vote taken during its February 25 and March 11 meetings. DISCUSSION The Open Meeting Law requires that all meetings of a public body be properly noticed and open to members of the public, unless an executive session is convened.

Furthermore, the Attorney General's Office discourages public bodies from using abbreviations or acronyms in meeting notices if they are not commonly understood. See OML 2014-116; OML 2013-46. Here, we find that the acronym "PILOT" is not one that members of the public are likely to understand. Cf. OML 2015-172 (concluding that "FAA" is a widely understood acronym).

The Open Meeting Law requires that, within 14 business days after receiving an Open Meeting Law complaint, a public body shall review the complaint's allegations; take remedial action, if appropriate; and send to the Attorney General's Office a copy of the complaint and a description of any remedial action taken. G.L. c. 30A, 23(b); 940 CMR 29.05(5).

The Environmental Protection Division of the Attorney Generals Office is aware of the settlement agreement and the outcome reached in the agreement but did not participate in the mediation between GE, the EPA and the Committee. 4 We note that the notice for the Boards February 10 meeting listed ten topics, one of which was Town Managers Report. The topic of Town Managers Report included two subheadings - Department Updates and Project Updates.

Ultimately, the matter at issue was withdrawn from consideration; the Council self-reported the violation to the Attorney Generals Office; and the Gardner Law Department reminded the Council of its obligations under the Open Meeting Law. We commend the Council for proactively taking these corrective measures.

Should this process not result in reasonable accommodation, the Civil Rights Division of the Attorney Generals Office is charged with enforcement of the relevant statutes governing the accommodation of disabilities and may be able to provide further assistance. 4 For meetings of a local public body, unless an alternative posting method has been adopted, the notice must be filed with the municipal clerk and posted in a manner conspicuously visible

Given that an interpretation of the Open Meeting Law falls within the authority of the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) and not this office, I am unable to address those issues in this determination. See G. L. c. 30A, 23. I encourage the parties to Maureen Coleman Page 5 September 26, 2024 SPR24/2583 contact the AGO for a determination on the status of the executive session minutes.

The Supervisor of Records declined to review the matter explaining that the Committees response raises issues that invoke the Open Meeting Law and recommended that the parties contact the Attorney Generals Office if they seek a determination on this matter. Thereafter, the complainant filed the Open Meeting Law complaint at issue here.