Opinion ID: 2075105
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Alleged Violation of Maine's Freedom of Access Law

Text: If the Town Council of Old Orchard Beach perfunctorily enacted the January 10, 1979 resolve in open session, but had conducted the deliberations and reached their decision thereon in secret executive sessions prior thereto, the Council's action would be illegal and subject to court order nullifying the same. 1 M.R.S.A. § 405(1)(2)(6) and § 409(2)(3). [7] Mr. Bird's civil action for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief was properly taken, but, as any other civil action, is subject to Rule 56(c) and (d) relating to summary judgment, if no genuine issue of material fact exists for trial. As stated previously, the appellees' motion for summary judgment was properly supported by sufficient affidavit of Councilman Roberts who was in a position to know the facts of his own personal knowledge. The affidavit must show affirmatively that the affiant has personal knowledge of the matters asserted. Wescott v. Allstate Insurance, Me., 397 A.2d 156, at 164 (1979). [8] It is true that Mr. Bird, in his counter affidavit, does state in the introductory paragraph thereof that his assertions are based on his personal knowledge, yet, the appended jurat expressly contradicts that fact; indeed, it reads as follows: Personally appeared the above-named John R. Bird who, after being duly sworn, made oath that the statements made by him in the foregoing affidavit are true and correct according to the best of his knowledge and belief. Thus, the Bird counter affidavit, showing on its face and in the jurat that it was merely a conclusory judgment of the affiant without any actual basis for personal knowledge was fatally defective for noncompliance with Rule 56(e), M.R.Civ.P. Supporting and opposing affidavits must set forth such facts as would be admissible in evidence and must show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to them. See Steeves v. Irwin, Me., 233 A.2d 126, at 130 (1967); Englebrecht v. Development Corporation for Evergreen Valley, Me., 361 A.2d 908, 911 (1976). What was required of the plaintiff-appellant in opposition to the Roberts affidavit was an affidavit setting forth specific and detailed facts denying or contradicting Roberts' statements that the Council's deliberations on the bond issue and its ultimate enactment thereof were not made in secret or executive sessions, or that secret meetings occurred of which Roberts was unaware. Haskell v. Planning Bd. of Town of Yarmouth, Me., 388 A.2d 100, 102 (1978). Nothing in the Bird counter affidavit showed affirmatively that he was in a position to have personal knowledge of the holding of any such secret meetings by the Council as asserted, to the occurrence of which he would be competent to testify. See Richards Realty Company v. Inhabitants of Town of Castle Hill, Me., 406 A.2d 412 (1979). The appellant's affidavit was insufficient to counteract the Roberts affidavit, which, in relation to the claim of violation of Maine's Freedom of Access Law by the Old Orchard Beach Town Council, properly showed that there existed no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the defendant-appellees were entitled to a judgment on that issue as a matter of law. The entry will be: Appeal denied. Summary judgment affirmed. The parties are to bear their own costs on appeal. McKUSICK, C. J., and GODFREY and ROBERTS, JJ., concurring. NICHOLS, J., concurring in separate opinion.