Dear Editor:
In the February 6, 2025, edition of The Wanderer, the article “Aquifer Protection and Short-Term Rentals” stated that the Office of the Attorney General found no wrongdoing or violations of the Commonwealth’s Open Meeting Law (OML). That determination ineffectively addressed the profound concern raised by a board member.
The component triggering the OML violation complaint was the Board Chairman’s independent decision to remove the Town Planner’s assertions that ” We provided you with the people (experts) to run this up against, (to) ask the hard questions [about the MS4 bylaw]. I don’t know what more we could do.” Mr. Guey-Lee warned Board members against creating their versions of a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) bylaw, as “it could be a waste of effort if the state deems it insufficient, lacking the experience of other towns like West Bridgewater.” More importantly, the Board rejected the meritorious MS4 bylaw drafted and presented to the Board by DPW engineer Meghan Davis.
The Office of the Attorney General said, “We find the content of the revised language is substantially similar to the complainant’s draft, and in fact includes additional detail regarding the matters discussed…” The important issue is not the “additional detail.” It is the quality of the overall information, that is, the erasure of Mr. Guey-Lee’s statement and its replacement with the negligible value of the Chair’s “additional detail.”
When board members attend meetings seemingly unprepared and lack knowledge, insight, and understanding of the topics discussed, their joint venture of “winging it” can be detrimental to the Town, and that is what happened, I believe, with the rejection of the MS4 bylaw drafted and presented to the Board by DPW engineer Meghan Davis.
Sincerely,
Eileen J. Marum
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