The Boston Retirement Board is a qualified defined pension plan, which serves approximately 34,000 active public employees and retirees of the City of Boston, Boston Housing Authority, Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Water & Sewer Commission. The Board seeks an Assistant General Counsel to provide legal services to Board Trustees and staff regarding Chapter 32 benefits, litigation and investments. Continue reading »
May 14
May 09
Join us on Thursday, May 24, 2012 for our monthly meeting and seminar. This month, our distinguished panelists will be discussing the separation of powers in Massachusetts municipalities. Included will be a review of the various municipal governmental structures in the Commonwealth, in the context of the Home Rule Amendment; comparing and contrasting separation of powers in City and Town governments; as well as a discussion of actual separation of powers issues affecting municipal governments in Massachusetts. Our panelists will include the Honorable Scott D. Galvin, Esq., Mayor of the City of Woburn and former City Councilor, and William J. Phelan, Esq., Town Administrator for the Town of Holbrook and former Mayor of the City of Quincy, with John D. Finnegan, Esq. as Moderator.
Apr 19
Recently, the Division of Open Government of the Attorney General’s Office issued a new FAQ regarding the Open Meeting Law and Town Meetings. In its FAQ the Attorney General’s Office opined that quorums of public bodies that attend Town Meeting should notice the Town Meeting as a ‘meeting’ if it anticipates that it may be called upon to deliberate during the course of the Town Meeting. The Attorney General’s Office also notes that any deliberations of any public body that occur during the course of a Town Meeting are as such subject to the provisions of the Open Meeting Law. The FAQ can be found here: FAQ
CSTCA’s Executive Board disagrees with the Attorney General’s Office interpretation of the Open Meeting Law as it applies to Town Meeting. CSTCA has sent a letter outlining its differing interpretation of the law to the Attorney General’s Office.
Apr 08
CSTCA is proud to announce that its Spring 2012 Newsletter is now available. Simply click on the Newsletter link under the “members section” of this website to read the latest in Municipal Law news. You can also link to the newsletter here: CSTCA Spring Newsletter 2012
Mar 15
Please take note that the Association’s old ListServ, hosted by UMass Boston, has been decommissioned and its new ListServ, hosted by Social Law Library, is up and running. Messages sent to cstca@cs.umb.edu will no longer be posted or distributed to others, and the members of this ListServ are advised to begin using the web address for the new ListServ - massmunilaw@socialaw.com
Below are some tips to using the new ListServe:
• To post a message to the new List, address your email to: massmunilaw@socialaw.com.
Continue reading »
Mar 13
CSTCA’s Executive Board announces that it is considering amendments to its Bylaws. The proposed bylaw changes include amendments to the membership year, more defined duties for the Executive Director and synching the membership and fiscal years. The amendments will be considered at CSTCA’s April meeting. Have any questions? Please feel free to contact CSTCA’s Executive Director, Jim Lampke at JLampke@massmunilaw.org or CSTCA President Stacey Bloom at staceygene@gmail.com.
Feb 29
This Old House–Everything You Wanted to Know About Historical Commissions But Were Afraid to Ask
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CSTCA invites you to join us on March 14th at the historic John Adams Courthouse for our monthly dinner seminar on Historic Commissions and Districts. Generally, everyone wants to preserve historic structures, but sometimes history is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes what a developer or neighbor sees as an eyesore, another might see as a historic gem. This program will discuss the interplay between historic commissions, historic districts and demolition delay bylaws. Our panelists include Continue reading »
Feb 07
The Attorney General’s Office held a hearing on January 19th to consider further defining the term “knowingly” as it appears in the Open Meeting Law Regulations, 940 CMR 29.02. The regulation would define the term “Knowing or Knowingly” used in the Open Meeting Law. A public body that “knowingly” violates the Open Meeting Law is subject to a $1,000 fine per violation. CSTCA will keep its members informed about the progress of this any other new regulations.
Jan 07
CSTCA’s January dinner seminar will focus on municipal fees and municipal finance law. Municipal lawyers are faced with the common and arcane municipal finance issues–fees v. taxes, what fees a municipality may charge, and how to collect fees that are levied. Our distinguished panel of experts includes Assistant Attorney General Kelli Gunagan the AGO’s Bylaw coordinator; DOR’s Municipal Finance Bureau Chief Kathleen Colleary; and Attleboro City Solicitor and Mendon Town Counsel Robert Mangiarratti. Continue reading »
Dec 30
CSTCA is proud that the Patriot Ledger has featured Executive Director Jim Lampke. In the article Jim looks back on serving as Hull Town Counsel for 30 years. Jim is an invaluable asset to CSTCA and we’re proud that the Patriot Ledger has recognized his long service to his community. To read the article clink on the link above.
