Judith Meyer, former executive editor of the Sun Journal, talks Wednesday about the Maine Freedom of Access Act with Chesterville Budget Committee member Anne Lambert at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

FARMINGTON — Some public officials in Franklin County appeared to realize Wednesday during a training session at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital that they may have violated the state’s Freedom of Access Act at some point while in office.

Judith Meyer, former executive editor of the Sun Journal, Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal and the Western Maine Weeklies, gave a presentation to Franklin County commissioners, county selectpersons and others about the legal responsibilities of people in elected or appointed positions in local government.

Meyer, who resigned in February, has been a journalist for more than 30 years. She worked her way up from starting as a correspondent for the Sun Journal in Oxford County to leading the newsroom.

After leaving the Sun Journal, Meyer held onto her passion to make sure the public’s business stays in the public eye. She has continued her longtime work on the Maine Right to Know Advisory Committee.

She gave the nearly 20 people gathered at the hospital in Farmington an education on the law, what they can do, what a public document is and what is not, and what can be done on emails, texts and phone calls as a board member. She also brought along a lot of information, including websites if they have questions later.

If three members of a five-member board of selectmen, commissioners or school board — considered a quorum — go to breakfast just to eat and talk everyday topics, they can do that. But if they start talking budget or other board business, it would be a violation of the law, Meyer said.

“There is a lot of trust involved,” she said, that public officials will follow the law.

Maine law does not require a public board or committee to have an agenda, but if they want people’s input an agenda lets people know what topics will be discussed, Meyer said. All that needs to be posted is a notice of meeting with the date, time and place. But it serves the public if they want to attend, she said.

Sue Davis, a secretary to a planning board in Franklin County, said sometimes when she is not sure about something discussed during a meeting, she checks with the chairperson or vice chairperson via email to see if she has the information correct or if it needs to be changed.

“You are creating a public document,” Meyer said.

Judith Meyer, right, former executive editor of the Sun Journal, talks Wednesday about the Maine Freedom of Access Act to Franklin County public officials and others at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. With Meyer are Chesterville Town Clerk Missy Taylor, center, Chesterville Budget Committee member Anne Lambert, left, and Selectman Earl Martin. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

Documents that are public records include tax assessments, meeting minutes, employee calendars, dispatch records, police blotters, employee final discipline action, payroll records, school union contracts, audits, correspondence, site plans, jail/prison visitor logs, insurance policies and claims, shave/shower logs in jails/prisons, among many others.

Tiffany Maiuri, chairperson of the Franklin County budget committee and Wilton Select Board, asked if employee wages and benefits are public.

“Yes,” Meyer said. The total amount of benefits, but not the breakdown, of what amount goes into each category and wages are all public records, she said.

Documents that are confidential include open police investigations, school expulsion records, personnel files, election ballots, correspondence from parents to schools, district attorney notes on open cases, Workers’ Compensation records of injury, public employee medical records that must be kept on file for 60 years, vehicle registrations, and student attendance records and academic transcripts.

Meyer also said elected officials could share information or schedule a meeting by email or phone call — but they cannot ask for a decision or give a decision to topics such as buying an item or spending money or make a decision in that way.

An emergency meeting can be called, if a matter is urgent, as long as the media is notified. It has to be an emergency and a decision cannot wait, she said. It cannot be done by email or phone.

“When a board takes action, it has to be done in public,” Meyer said. “Avoid phone, text and emails” to make those decisions.

Only school boards have to allow time for public comments, she said. A select board does not. They are allowed to conduct the business of the board. It is up to each board whether or not it wants to allow comment, she said.