Transparent Dedham is a project of Women in Democracy-Dedham, a non-partisan organization committed to engaging more women in local politics and educating the public about local government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Transparent Dedham?
Transparent Dedham is a project of Women in Democracy-Dedham, a non-partisan organization committed to engaging more women in local politics and educating the public about local government. The Transparent Dedham effort is powered by volunteers throughout the community. The names of each meeting’s Correspondent and Transparent Dedham editor(s) are listed on the notes themselves.
The mission of Transparent Dedham is to:
How are meetings assigned to Correspondents?
Meetings will be assigned based on volunteers’ availability and area of interest. Organizers will prioritize coverage of boards or meetings with particularly timely or impactful agenda items.
In order to avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest, Correspondents will identify any scenario in which they are an abutter or otherwise interested party in any agenda item they take notes on.
Is there any oversight or editing of Notes?
Transparent Dedham provides clear guidelines to ensure Correspondents summarize meetings effectively and in as objective a manner as possible. Community Notes will be reviewed by at least one editor, who will be named at the bottom of each notes document.
Doesn’t the law require minutes be taken at all town board and committee meetings? Isn’t this work duplicative?
Yes, open meeting law does require that minutes be taken at all public meetings of town boards and committees. However, there is no law requiring those minutes be produced in a certain timeframe or made available in any format other than hard copy at the Town Clerk’s office. Community Notes will be edited and shared via the Transparent Dedham website, ideally within a week of a meeting taking place.
What’s in it for the Community Correspondents?
By attending meetings, Community Correspondents will:
Email info@transparentdedham.org. Editors will do their best to secure volunteers to cover a meeting but can not guarantee coverage.
How do I volunteer to be a Community Correspondent?
Email info@transparentdedham.org to express interest. Please include any specific committees or boards you’re interested in as well as a general sense of your availability for meetings. (Most meetings take place weeknights, but some are videotaped which allows correspondents to watch at home at their convenience.)
Transparent Dedham is a project of Women in Democracy-Dedham, a non-partisan organization committed to engaging more women in local politics and educating the public about local government. The Transparent Dedham effort is powered by volunteers throughout the community. The names of each meeting’s Correspondent and Transparent Dedham editor(s) are listed on the notes themselves.
The mission of Transparent Dedham is to:
- show support for elected and appointed volunteers by attending meetings
- help keep the public informed of important issues and events
- help increase civic engagement
How are meetings assigned to Correspondents?
Meetings will be assigned based on volunteers’ availability and area of interest. Organizers will prioritize coverage of boards or meetings with particularly timely or impactful agenda items.
In order to avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest, Correspondents will identify any scenario in which they are an abutter or otherwise interested party in any agenda item they take notes on.
Is there any oversight or editing of Notes?
Transparent Dedham provides clear guidelines to ensure Correspondents summarize meetings effectively and in as objective a manner as possible. Community Notes will be reviewed by at least one editor, who will be named at the bottom of each notes document.
Doesn’t the law require minutes be taken at all town board and committee meetings? Isn’t this work duplicative?
Yes, open meeting law does require that minutes be taken at all public meetings of town boards and committees. However, there is no law requiring those minutes be produced in a certain timeframe or made available in any format other than hard copy at the Town Clerk’s office. Community Notes will be edited and shared via the Transparent Dedham website, ideally within a week of a meeting taking place.
What’s in it for the Community Correspondents?
By attending meetings, Community Correspondents will:
- Learn more about how local government works
- Expand your network by meeting new people and learning more about Dedham organizations
- Identify opportunities to volunteer on elected and appointed boards in the future
Email info@transparentdedham.org. Editors will do their best to secure volunteers to cover a meeting but can not guarantee coverage.
How do I volunteer to be a Community Correspondent?
Email info@transparentdedham.org to express interest. Please include any specific committees or boards you’re interested in as well as a general sense of your availability for meetings. (Most meetings take place weeknights, but some are videotaped which allows correspondents to watch at home at their convenience.)