Gelinas, Brian v. Office of the District Attorney - Northwestern District (SPR 20150634)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords August 26, 2015 SPRlS/634 Ms. Cynthia M. Von Flatern Northwestern District Attorney's Office One Gleason Plaza Northampton, MA 0 10 60 Dear Attorney Von Flatern: I have received the petition of Brian Gelinas, on behalf of the Athol Daily News, appealing the nonresponse of the Northwestern District Attorney's Office (Office) to his request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O (b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Gelinas requested records regarding the death of a specifically identified individual. Having received no response, Mr. Gelinas 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 (1 0) days ofthe request. G. L. c. 66, § 1O (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 Office 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 August 21, 2015. Whereas this matter was opened based upon the Office's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Gelinas may appeal the substantive nature of the ffice's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). · ours, Supervisor of Records cc: Mr. Brian Gelinas OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/pre