Court Sides With Peabody On Remote Meetings

PEABODY, MA —Peabody officials can continue to meet remotely using online communications services like Zoom after a Salem Superior Court judge denied a request for an injunction barring the practice.

Peabody residents Russell Donovan, Jaclyn Corriveau and Dianne Hamilton filed the lawsuit and asked for the injunction until the city could satisfy all "notices and public participation requirements." At its May 14 meeting, Peabody City Council voted against a motion to "not open public hearings on special permits involving major construction or zoning changes" for the second time in as many meetings.

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Residents have raised concerns that Peabody is conducting major business, including special permit hearings, in an online setting that is unfamiliar to many members of the public. But Salem Superior Court Judge James Lang said the city was complying with the March emergency order that gave cities and towns permission to conduct remote meetings during the pandemic.

"The last thing this council wants to do in any way, shape or form is to stifle or limit public participation," Council President Tom Rossignoll said during the May 14 meeting.

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Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).