Guides, white papers, and templates for municipal clerks and administrators.
AI isn't a philosophy towns need to blindly adopt; it’s just a tool in the toolbox. Learn where municipal governments should lean in, watch out, and keep AI away.
In the Ortolano v. City of Nashua case, the New Hampshire courts delivered a clear message to municipalities: administrative staffing shortages do not excuse RSA 91-A Right-to-Know Law violations. Learn how this ruling affects meeting notices, public minutes, and the true cost of noncompliance for local governments—and how towns can build resilient processes to protect themselves.
Avoid the "garbage in, garbage out" trap of municipal tech. Learn why purpose-built software always beats broad AI platforms, and how local governments can start using intelligent tools to solve real problems without betting the town.
In 2015, the Massachusetts Attorney General issued a ruling (OML 2015-164) that fundamentally changed how municipalities must handle meeting records. By dismantling the "administrative burden" defense and establishing a strict 30-day clock for records requests, the AG transformed the common problem of a minutes backlog into an acute legal vulnerability. This paper examines the precedent set by the Rockport ruling and outlines how towns can eliminate the liability entirely.