Collins, Michael v. Hull, Town of - Law Department (SPR 20150942)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams January 12, 2016 Supervisor ofR ecords SPRlS/942 Mr. James B. Lampke Town Counsel Town of Hull 115 North Street, Suite 3 Hingham, MA 02043 Dear Mr. Lampke: I have received the petition of Michael Collins appealing the response ofthe Town of Hull (Town) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1 O(b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). On December 10, 2015 Mr. Collins Specifically, Mr. Collins requested "all supporting written documentation the Planning Board reviewed to make the determination (for Burr Road)." Town responded five days later on December 15, 2015 to inform Mr. Collins that Town was reviewing his request to determine if there are responsive records and would notify him if a fee estimate will be required for producing those records. On December 22, 2015 Mr. Collins appealed to this office, believing that he should be "entitled to view or receive copies within 10 days of the written request". 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 of the request. G. L. c. 66, § 10(b); 950 C.M.R. 32.05. The response may be an offer to provide records, a fee estimate for provision ofthe records, or a denial. In a conversation with a member of my staff on January 8, 2016 you indicated that the Town sent Mr. Collins a follow up response along with a fee estimate, dated January 4, 2016. Whereas this appeal related to the timeliness of response to a request for public records, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Collins may appeal the substantive nature of the Town's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). ( \ cc: Mr. Michael Collins OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma.us/pre