Town May Enact Open Meeting Fines

Reporter Mary Carey writes in the Amherst Bulletin that the Massachusetts town may establish fines for members of local boards who violate the open meeting law. The state law imposes no such fines on individual board members. A bill promoted by the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association would authorize courts to impose such fines. Carey writes:

"Town Meeting member Larry Kelley said Amherst should establish its own fines -- $50 for a first offense, $100 for the second and $500 for the third offense. He has collected enough signatures to put the question on the May 7 Town Meeting warrant."