Understanding the Freedom of Access Act Webinar

Sponsored by: Maine Municipal Association
Date: 8/22/2024
Location: Remote Access – Live Webinar via ZOOM
Time: 4:30pm – 6:00pm
Presenter(s): Jen Thompson, Staff Attorney, Maine Municipal Association
Cost: MMA Member: $40; Non-Member: $80

Training for: Animal Control, Assessor, Clerk, Code Enforcement, Finance, General Assistance, Human Resources, Librarian, Manager, Parks & Recreation, Planning, Public Safety, Public Works, Tax Collector & Treasurer, Water & Wastewater, MMA

Who Should Attend:
This webinar is aimed at helping municipal staffs, “Public Access Officers” and elected and appointed officials understand Maine’s Freedom of Access Act and fulfill FOAA training requirements. It will provide an overview of the FOAA, including open meeting requirements, why FOAA requests are filed and how to handle them properly. (Qualifies as Maine-required FOAA Training. This session does not explore laws about criminal investigations and records.)

Course Information:
Does our board meeting need to be held in public? When can the board enter executive session? How do we respond to a record request from a citizen? Or a serial requester, or a journalist? Maine law requires that all “public proceedings” occur in public and that FOAA requests be handled properly, fairly and in a timely manner. This two-hour workshop is designed to help municipal officials at all levels comply with the FOAA and make good decisions about FOAA requests, even if the requests grow in number.

Topics Include:
•    Maine’s FOA Law: An Overview
•    Open meeting requirements
•    Executive sessions
•    Receiving Requests 
•    Designating a Point Person (or Two) 
•    Timing and Deadlines
•    Fulfilling requests, redacting, denying
•    Tracking and Processing
•    When E-mails Are Involved
•    Repeat Requestors
•    Your Mental Health 
•    Understanding the Media
 

Certification:
This course applies to the Maine Town, City and County Management Association Certification Program as 1.5 credits in the Elected Relations category.
 

Confirmation and Zoom link:
Registrants will receive their Zoom link and meeting details directly from MMA Zoom no later than 24 hours in advance. An official workshop confirmation from MMA will follow with further instructions and access to meeting materials. 

Please reach out to training@memun.org if you have not received your link the day prior to the training.

Cancellation Policy:
Cancellations must be submitted using this Cancellation form to cancel your registration for an event. Cancellations received on/after 8/19/24 will be charged a $15 cancellation fee. Any registrant who does not attend and does not cancel their registration (i.e., no-show) and any cancellation received the day of the event will be charged the full registration fee.

If you have questions, please contact the Educational Services Office at (800) 452-8786 or (207) 623-8428 or training@memun.org.

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