The Freetown Lakeville Regional School Committee voted 6–0 with one abstention to delegate Chair Jennifer Blum to work with legal counsel to respond to an open‑meeting‑law complaint and file a response with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office by Sept. 17, 2025.

The action responds to a complaint submitted Aug. 27, 2025, by resident Margaret French alleging that the committee’s pool subcommittee met via Zoom on Aug. 11, 2025, without the required 48‑hour public notice and that the subcommittee had not been properly formed or sworn in by municipal clerks. Committee members discussed the complaint during the meeting and then voted to authorize the chair to coordinate the formal response with the committee’s attorney, Kelly.

Chair Jennifer Blum introduced the item, saying, “Again, after speaking with Kelly, we are utilizing Kelly. And so this next part, the action vote is basically to vote to delegate myself as the chair to work with legal counsel to respond to the complaint on file with the attorney general's office by 09/17/2025, and a roll call vote is needed for this.”

Members debated whether a formal vote was necessary. Tim Emery said that he and Blum had reviewed the matter with counsel and staff the day before and urged a vote so the committee could meet the response timeline: “So we do need a vote tonight to allow Jim or someone, although it makes the most sense for the chair of our committee, to work with the attorney general's office and our lawyers regarding our meeting last week, which as far as it may be, is in order.”

Courtney Brightman noted that similar votes on past open‑meeting complaints are recorded in minutes, saying, “We did vote. It is documented in our minutes that we have voted on these things in the past.” Steve Sylvia, while opposing additional procedural layers, said he supported the motion to proceed and moved the question during discussion.

The committee conducted a roll‑call vote. Recorded votes were: Jennifer Blum — yes; Bob Clark — yes; Steve Sylvia — yes; Courtney Brightman — yes; Melinda (Wendy) Richards — yes; Tim Emery — yes; Crystal (surname variously recorded) — abstain. The chair announced, “so 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 yeses, 0 nos, and 1 abstain. I think that's a motion passes.” The motion therefore passed and the chair was authorized to work with counsel on the response and filing.

Members said they will revisit the matter and report steps taken at the committee’s Sept. 24 meeting. The chair indicated she and counsel will prepare a timeline and the formal response required by the public‑body checklist for open‑meeting‑law complaints, which the committee cited as directing review of complaints during a meeting and authorizing individuals such as the chair or counsel to draft and send responses within 14 business days.

The complaint named the August 11 meeting and asserted that public members of the subcommittee had not been appointed and sworn in. Committee members said they are coordinating with town clerks and counsel to correct formation and notice procedures moving forward.

Recording staff were noted on the meeting record: Renee recorded the meeting and a participant identified as Kim was streaming the meeting live on Facebook; those broadcasts were mentioned for the minutes.