Higgins, Patrick v. Webster, Town of - Board of Selectmen (SPR 20150290)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords May 22,2015 SPRlS/290 Ms. Courtney M. Friedland Town of Webster Board of Selectmen 350 Main Street Webster, MA 01570 Dear Ms. Friedland: I have received the petition of Patrick Higgins appealing the nomesponse of the Board of Selectmen (Board) to his request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O (b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Higgins requested the Board's executive session minutes for calendar years 2014 and 2015. Having received no response, Mr. Higgins petitioned this office. Under the Public Records Law and the Access Regulations (Regulations) all requests for public records must be met with a response within ten (10) days of the request. G. L. c. 66, § lO(b); 950 C.M.R. 32.05. The response may be an offer to provide records, a fee estimate for provision of the records, or a denial. The Board is advised that all records custodians must comply with both the Public Records Law and the Regulations with respect to the timeliness of response. Subsequent to the intervention by a member of my staff, this office was notified that a response was provided, dated May 18,2015. Whereas this matter was opened based upon the Board's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Higgins may appeal the substantive nature of the Board's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Supervisor of Records cc: Mr. Patrick Higgins One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832. Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre