Did letter to editor violate open meeting law?

That was the question raised after two Sharon, Mass., selectmen co-signed a letter to the editor of the Sharon Advocate, according to this report in that paper. Town resident Richard Kramer filed a complaint with the Norfolk County district attorney's office, questioning whether, by co-signing the letter, the selectmen had held an illegal meeting. "It seems clear that [they] must have deliberated in private over their letter, which I believe would be a direct violation of our open meeting laws," Kramer wrote. But Selectman William Heitin said no meeting was held, according to the Advocate. "I wrote the letter and asked the other two selectmen if they would like to sign it. One did and one didn't."