When

Friday, September 23, 2016
8:30 - 9:00 - Registration, Breakfast, Networking
9:00 - 9:15 - Welcome and Introductions
9:15 - 10:45 - Session 1: 'Nuts and Bolts' of the New Public Records Law
10:45 - 11:00 - Break
11:00 - 12:00 - Session 2: Tips for Complying with the Public Records Law

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Where

College of the Holy Cross
Hogan Campus Center - Ballroom
1 College Street
Worcester, MA 01610

 
 
Driving Directions

The forum is being held in the Ballroom of The Hogan Campus Center. Click here for more information on the venue.

Contact

Alyssa Ritchie
Burns & Levinson LLP 
aritchie@burnslev.com
617-345-3284



















Hosted by:

 

Burns _ Levinson

Opening the Books on the New Public Records Law

This past spring, the Legislature passed and the governor signed a major overhaul of the state’s 40-year-old public records law, which requires cities and towns to review and update local practices for responding to records requests. The rewrite makes changes to compliance timing and procedures, the collection of fees, requester appeals, and enforcement.

The production of public records is a core governmental function, and the sweeping changes will affect all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The new law will need to be well understood in order to administer it effectively and avoid costly litigation.

Municipal officials are invited to a regional forum on Sept. 23, sponsored by Burns & Levinson, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, and the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the new law’s requirements. Prominent municipal counsel will discuss the many facets of the law as well as best practices to help your community comply. Presenters will also discuss administrative proposals to advance as part of regulations expected to be issued by the Secretary of State’s office later this year.

The meeting cost is $20, and pre-registration is required. It will be held at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.

Session Descriptions:

Session 1: ‘Nuts & Bolts’ of the New Public Records Law
Presenters will give an in-depth review of the recently enacted Public Records Law, including changes in the areas of timing, compliance, fees, and enforcement. During this session, attendees are encouraged to participate in developing proposals to be submitted to the Supervisor of Records for consideration as the Secretary of State’s office prepares regulations governing the new law.  

Session 2: Tips for Complying with the Public Records Law
Seasoned public records law experts will discuss invaluable “best practices” in order to effectively administer and comply with the Public Records Law.

Presenters:

Kevin Batt, Counsel, Anderson & Kreiger - Kevin's practice includes municipal, land use, environmental and construction law, and he has specialized recently in assisting communities host and develop renewable energy facilities. He frequently advises communities on compliance with the Open Meeting and Public Records Law, including providing annual training for local boards and commissions and municipal employees. Currently, Mr. Batt provides Town Counsel representation to the Towns of Lexington, Concord, Dover, Duxbury and Acton, and serves as special counsel to Attleboro, Cambridge and Barnstable. He has served on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association (MMLA), and participated extensively in the MMLA’s effort to advocate for municipalities as the State Legislature revised the Public Records Law in 2015 – 2016. 

  Matthew Feher, Counsel, Burns & Levinson - Matthew Feher focuses his practice on municipal infrastructure, public finance, public-private partnerships and government relations. He acts as bond counsel to state and municipal tax-exempt debt issuers and as counsel to a number of local and regional governments throughout New England in connection with the procurement, design, construction, financing and governance of water, wastewater and solid waste utilities, public building and civic projects.  Matthew participated extensively in the MMLA’s effort to push municipal government interests and achieve greater balance as the new Public Records Law Reform legislation was developed on Beacon Hill.

Attorney Lauren Goldberg Lauren Goldberg, Managing Attorney, KP Law - Lauren has over 18 years of public law experience advising clients on general municipal law issues, and particularly with respect to municipal governance, municipal finance and administrative law, including the Public Records Law, Conflict of Interest Law, and Open Meeting Law. She has extensive experience reviewing, drafting, and revising municipal charters, ordinances and bylaws, and assisting municipal clients in interpreting and implementing the same.

Attorney Bob Ritchie Robert Ritchie,retired general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Previously, he was an assistant attorney general and director of the Municipal Law Unit in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General. He was responsible for reviewing municipal charters adopted, revised, or amended under G.L. c. 43B. Bob is a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association and the International Municipal Lawyers Association. He is a graduate of Boston College Law School, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Boston College.