Oren M. Sellstrom, Esq. v. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Department of Correction (SPR 20160216)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords April 8, 2016 SPR16/216 Ms. Margaret Melville, Esq. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Department of Correction Legal Division 70 Franklin Street, Suite 600 Boston, MA 02110 Dear Attorney Melville: I have received the petition of Oren Sellstrom appealing the nonresponse of Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Department of Correction (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O (b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Attorney Sellstrom requested a number of records pertaining to the application, approval, operation and then suspension "of the African American Coalition, the African Heritage Coalition, and Spanish United inmate self-improvement groups in DOC facilities." Initially you had made a response dated February 19, 2016, but having received no further substantial response, Attorney Sellstrom 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, § 10(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. 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 on April 4, 2016 that a response was provided. Whereas this matter was opened based upon the Department's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Attorney Sellstrom may appeal the substantive nature ofthe Department's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). To assist in requesting and responding to requests for public records please refer to our publication, A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law. This document is available on the Internet, free of charge, at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf. Attorneys on my OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre

Ms. Margaret Melville, Esq. SPR16/216 Page 2 April8, 2016 staff are available during regular business hours to answer general questions regarding the Public Records Law. In addition, members of my staff will visit a records custodian in person to conduct training workshops on the Public Records Law upon request. Please contact my office directly at the telephone number provided in this det r ina ion for further information. cc: Mr. Oren Sellstrom, Esq.