Patrick N. Bryant v. Westwood, Town of - Town Administrator (SPR 20160475)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor of& cords July 18,2016 SPR16/475 Mr. Michael Jaillet Town of Westwood Town Administrator 580 High Street Westwood, MA 02090 Dear Mr. Jaillet: I have received the petition of Patrick Bryant appealing the nomesponse of the Town of Westwood (Town) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 10(b); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Bryant requested a several records from the Westwood Fire and Police Departments. Having received no response, Mr. Bryant 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 ten-day provision is a maximum, rather than a minimum, time frame for complying with a public records request. The response may be an offer to provide records, a fee estimate, for provision of the records, or a denial. The Town 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. A copy of this response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy to pre@sec.state.ma.us. Accordingly, whereas this matter was opened based upon the Town's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Bryant may appeal the substantive nature of the Town's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Shawn A. Williams Supervisor of Records cc: Mr. Patrick Bryant, Esq. OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre