Beaty, Ronald v. Barnstable, Town of - Town Council (SPR 20150820)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords November 12, 2015 SPRlS/820 Ms. Cynthia Lovell, Administrator Barnstable Town Council 367 Main Street Village ofHyannis, MA 02601 Dear Ms. Lovell: I have received the petition of Ronald Beaty appealing the nomesponse of the Barnstable Town Council (Council) to his request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § lO(b); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Beaty requested any and all meeting minutes, notes, emails, correspondence and/or any other material regarding a specifically identified meeting. Mr. Beaty requested these records from the Council Administrator, Council President, Council Vice President and four Town Councilors. Having received no response, Mr. Beaty 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 Council 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 5, 2015. Whereas this matter was opened based upon the Council's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Beaty may appeal the substantive nature of the Council's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). cc: Mr. Ronald Beaty OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre