Wilson Dobson, P.E. v. Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Advisory Board (SPR 20160219)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords April 7, 2016 SPR16/219 Mr. Joseph Favaloro Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Advisory Board Building 39-4th FL Charlestown Navy Yard 100 First Street Boston, MA 02129 Dear Mr. Favaloro: I have received the petition of Wilson Dobson appealing the nonresponse ofMassachusetts Water Resource Authority Advisory Board (Board) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1 O(b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Dobson requested a number of records pertaining to the Ware River Watershed. Although initially you corresponded with Mr. Dobson through email, but after having received no substantial response to his request for public records, Mr. Dobson 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 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 by Mr. Favaloro that a response was provided, dated April 5, 2016. 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. Dobson may appeal the substantive nature of the Board'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 staff are available during regular business hours to answer general questions regarding the Public One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/pre

Mr. Joseph Favaloro SPR16/219 Page 2 April 7, 2016 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 equest. Please contact my office 1 directly at the telephone number provided in this determinatio for further information. r rj V.. ours, cc: Mr. Wilson Dobson