District Attorney for the Northwestern District v. Board of Selectmen

In an action filed in the Superior Court the district attorney for the Northwestern District claimed that certain actions taken by the Sunderland board of selectmen (board) in conducting an executive session violated the open meeting law, G. L. c. 39, §§ 23A-23C, as amended through St. 1978, c. 372, §§ 9-12. The complaint alleged, and the judge so found, that the “executive session” was unlawful for two reasons: (1) that the vote to go into executive session was invalid because that vote, one member in favor of the motion and the two remaining members abstaining, did not constitute a vote of…