Needham Conservation Commission authorizes use of electronic signatures under MGL 110G

The Needham Conservation Commission voted Sept. 25 to adopt electronic signatures under Massachusetts law and authorized two staff members to execute commission documents on behalf of individual members.

Chair David Harrer read a motion adopting the provisions of MGL 110G regarding electronic signatures and specifying that electronic and wet-ink signatures would have the same legal effect for commission documents. The motion also authorized Deborah Anderson, director of conservation, and Timothy Puopolo, conservation specialist, to physically sign commission documents on behalf of members.

Commission discussion clarified that the registry of deeds may not accept electronic signatures for certain instruments such as land acquisitions; the staff noted that orders of condition, applications (RDAs), and COCs could not immediately be signed electronically until the certificate of vote is recorded at the registry. The motion passed unanimously by roll-call vote.

The commission instructed staff to record the certificate of vote at the registry; until that recording appears, members will still need to sign certain documents in wet ink. The recorded certificate will be referenced on the signature page for future electronically signed documents.