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Sheriff and municipal attorney tell committee repeated disruptions are shutting down town business; lawmakers weigh legal limits
Summary
Sheriff David Fox and municipal attorney Sarah Buxton testified that a small number of frequently disruptive individuals have forced some town offices to restrict access, prompted contracts for deputy presence, and contributed to volunteer resignations; the committee discussed constitutional limits and possible statutory tools but took no formal
Sheriff David Fox and municipal attorney Sarah Buxton told the Government Operations & Military Affairs committee that repeated disruptions by the same individuals have forced some small towns to change operations, pay for law enforcement presence at meetings, and in some cases close town offices to walk‑in business.
“Where we run into, where we’re contacted to attend meetings because they have people that are disruptive,” Sheriff David Fox said, describing repeated calls to provide a law‑enforcement presence at public meetings. He told the committee that the presence of deputies is sometimes a deterrent but that the same individuals often return and continue disruptive conduct.
Sarah Buxton, a former state representative who is a municipal attorney and a select‑board member in Mendon, said the town had closed its office to the public and now…
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