CORRECTION: In a former iteration of this article, Rossanna Ferrante was incorrectly identified as the vice chair of the Water and Sewer Commission. She is, in fact, the vice chair of the Recreation and Parks Commission. We regret the error.
As Massachusetts municipalities increasingly embrace hybrid public meetings, several regulatory boards in Marblehead have yet to follow suit, raising important questions about accessibility and inclusivity in local government.
According to a survey conducted in the spring of 2023 by a coalition of Massachusetts organizations advocating for more open government, more than half of city councils, select boards and school committees in Massachusetts are already holding hybrid or fully remote meetings:
— 45% of Massachusetts city council and select board meetings are fully hybrid, and an additional 17% are live-streamed, totaling 62% that offer some form of virtual access.
— 35% of Massachusetts school committee meetings are fully hybrid, and another 25% are live-streamed, meaning 60% provide remote viewing options.
However, some boards in Marblehead, including the Board of Assessors, Cemetery Commission, Recreation and Parks Commission, Harbors and Waters, and Water and Sewer Commission, still conduct business exclusively in person.
“If you really want to be heard, you have an interest, you can attend our meetings,” said John Kelley, chair of the Board of Assessors — which convenes meetings at the Mary Alley Municipal Building. Kelley said no one has ever contacted him about wanting to attend a meeting remotely.
But accessibility advocates argue that virtual options are essential for ensuring inclusive participation, especially for residents with disabilities, limited transportation or caregiving duties that make physical attendance challenging.
Lynn Nadeau, who has advocated for hybrid meetings, expressed strong concerns about boards that she feels are refusing to offer remote access options.
“It’s so wrong because it eliminates the possibility of people participating with varying needs and responsibilities,” Nadeau said.
Nadeau sponsored successful citizens’ petitions at the 2022 and 2023 town meetings aimed at increasing transparency and accessibility. Her most recent proposals urged boards to record and post meeting minutes and hold hybrid sessions.
Reflecting on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nadeau emphasized the importance of embracing technology for civic engagement.
“COVID taught us that we can participate in meetings in our democratic system fully without endangering ourselves and others, and that we can save energy by leaving our bodies in one place and letting our brains do the participating,” she said.
The League of Women Voters of Marblehead has voiced support for the broader push for hybrid meetings. The organization believes remote access is crucial for removing barriers and increasing public engagement.
State lawmakers are considering bills which would require public bodies to provide hybrid access by 2030. The legislation, backed by groups such as the League of Women Voters, allows for hardship waivers and creates a grant fund to help communities upgrade their technology.
In Marblehead, an Article 44 Committee — formed from Nadeau’s citizen petition after the 2022 Town Meeting — spent months studying the issue. The group recommended conducting hybrid meetings at a half-dozen municipal buildings and assessing technology needs.
According to the committee’s findings, some meeting spaces like the Jacobi Community Center would require upgrades costing approximately $6,000. Staffing and scheduling needs pose additional hurdles.
Nadeau expressed frustration with what she perceived as unnecessary obstacles raised during the study process.
“During the study group, there were roadblocks thrown in the way, similar to the way roadblocks were thrown in the way about the ADA,” she said. “Compliance with the ADA, it’ll cost too much.”
She also questioned some of the cost estimates presented. “There was a lot of finger on the scale in terms of cost,” Nadeau said. “When it seems so obvious that every building in town should have robust Wi-Fi that works for everyone. Why were they adding the cost of robust Wi-Fi as an issue for participation?”
However, some local officials maintain that in-person meetings are more productive and better serve their constituents. They cite concerns about technology glitches, digital distractions and the challenge of facilitating group discussions over Zoom.
“Hybrid meetings present unique challenges in managing group discussions,” said Gary Gregory, chair of the Harbors and Waters Board. “In person, you can pick up on subtle cues that indicate when it’s appropriate to speak. But in a hybrid format, especially with larger groups of more than five or ten people, those cues are often lost.”
Gregory said his board has decided against hybrid meetings multiple times because they don’t believe it would add value to their operations. He argued that in-person meetings allow for a more dynamic exchange that gets lost in a virtual setting.
“I personally don’t like hybrid meetings. They’re a distraction,” said Planning Board Chair Robert Schaeffner, whose virtual meetings have been lauded for their efficiency. “Decorum is different when people face each other, face to face, as humans.”
Schaeffner argued that meeting in person “dignifies the proceedings” and encourages better behavior than virtual settings. He worried that fully remote sessions could lead to people acting “snarky” and “nasty” in ways they wouldn’t dare in person.
Rossanna Ferrante, the vice chair of the Recreation and Parks Commission, said her board believes meeting in person makes business run most effectively. She noted that people feel free to attend whenever there are hot-button issues on the agenda.
“People will show up,” Ferrante said. “We welcome participation and we’re very open … I don’t think we’re inhibiting engagement.”
She noted they are not opposed to hybrids, but she said moving to a hybrid model isn’t a top priority for the commission compared to other projects, especially since it isn’t required by the town.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said retrofitting older buildings with cameras, microphones and broadband equipment can be costly.
“We also have somewhere around 51 committees of all different kinds of members that may or may not be skilled in using the computers to do the Zoom and manage it,” he said.
Before making hybrid meetings mandatory, town officials wanted to focus instead on upgrading infrastructure and training before considering such a requirement.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association cautioned against imposing a statewide hybrid meeting mandate. The organization argues that communities need flexibility to determine the best format for their needs and resources.
“Mandating [hybrid meetings] now is extraordinarily premature because the vast majority of communities couldn’t implement it,” said Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the MMA, in a letter to the Legislature.
However, some advocates question whether arguments about technology challenges and costs mask deeper resistance to change. They argue that virtual access should be seen as a fundamental feature of modern governance rather than an amenity.
Gov. Maura Healey signed a law extending pandemic-era rules that allow fully remote sessions until March 2025. However, her proposed Municipal Empowerment Act would give towns the option of hybrid meetings without requiring them, a stance critics fear could slow adoption.
Nadeau emphasized the importance of making public meetings accessible to all residents, regardless of their circumstances.
“We need to wrestle with the technology to better include everyone of all abilities,” she said. “So that people can safely and fully participate in our glorious democracy in Marblehead.”
She also expressed frustration with boards that continue to meet in locations that may be difficult for some residents to access.
“I don’t understand why you have to meet in the middle of Waterside Cemetery,” Nadeau said, referring to the Cemetery Commission’s meeting location.
Nadeau stressed that the push for hybrid meetings is not about exposing wrongdoing but rather about ensuring that all residents have the opportunity to stay informed and engaged.
“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the way Harbors and Waters is run,” she clarified. “I’m saying we need to know what’s going on without having to get a babysitter or get transported by Uber or whatever.”
As the debate continues, Nadeau remains committed to advocating for greater accessibility and transparency in local government.
“To have a robust democracy, people have to know what’s going on, and then they can participate,” she said.
