Important re: MMA’s pay-to-view video trainings:

Please note that MMA’s paid webinar videos are not downloadable and cannot be shared with other users or members (unless streamed in a group setting). Access to the video will appear under the purchaser/user’s MMA eBusiness Account (under Digital Content Access). Individuals seeking to view these videos independently should purchase them by logging into their own eBusiness Account.

Disclaimer for Video On-Demand trainings:

MMA’s video on demand offerings are recordings of previously offered trainings. MMA is unable to provide a certificate of completion for on-demand trainings.

Please note: Webinar presentation slides and handouts can be downloaded from our website: https://memun.org/Member-Center/Member-Workshop-Materials

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