What's New in Open Government...

for September. Continuing with news about open government issues around Massachusetts, the following are stories about open government issues that appeared during the first half of September:

Joss: Citizens Have Questions Over Response To Wekepeke
(Sept. 4, 2008, The Times & Courier)
According to the op-ed piece, a citizens group in Sterling used the Public Records Law to discover a violation of the Open Meeting Law by the Sterling Select Board. At least Sterling responded to the public records request. Apparently, the town of Clinton did not.

Depot Garage Decision Due By Halloween
(Sept. 9, 2008, Beverly Citizen)
Reporter Bobby Gates reports that in response to a public records request by the Beverly Citizen, the MBTA refused to provide copies of the bids submitted for developmet of a commuter-parking lot near Beverly. It General Counsel claimed it was becaue "' the matter is ongoing and has not yet been finalized.'" Hmmm, wonder what exemption that is. The newspaper has appealed the denial to the Supervisor of Public Records. For the Secretary of State's interpretation of exemption (h) which concerns bids, see the Secretary's Guide to the Public Records Law at page 17.

To be continued...