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James Herms v. Cambridge, City of - Law Department (SPR 20201425)
Massachusetts Public Records Appeal · Petitioner won — agency ordered to respond · Filed 08-19-2020
ClosedAppealPetitioner Won
SPR 20201425 is a Massachusetts Public Records Law appeal filed by James Herms concerning records held by Cambridge, City of - Law Department, opened 08-19-2020. Type: Appeal. Status: Closed. Supervisor of Public Records determination: Petitioner won — agency ordered to respond.
Case Details
- Case Number
- 20201425
- Case Type
- Appeal
- Case Subtype
- Initial
- Status
- Closed
- Requester
- James Herms
- Custodian
- Cambridge, City of - Law Department
- Date Opened
- 08-19-2020
- Date Closed
- 08-31-2020
- Time to Comply
- 37 Business Days
PDF Document
Extracted Text (searchable & copyable)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records August 31, 2020 SPR20/1425 Seah Levy Public Records Access Officer City of Cambridge 795 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Dear Ms. Levy: I have received the petition of James Herms appealing the response of the City of Cambridge (City) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, on July 17, 2020, Mr. Herms requested the following records: “1. Case counts of (lab-) confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MIT community that Cambridge Public Health Department has provided to MIT Medical. Dates: June 14 and July 20, 2020 (if cumulative; otherwise, all dates). 2. Case counts of (lab-)confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MIT community that Cambridge Public Health Department has received from MIT Medical (through electronic reporting or otherwise). Dates: June 14 and July 20, 2020 (if cumulative; otherwise, all dates). [3.] Any information that Cambridge Public Health Department does have on COVID-19 case counts at MIT.” Based upon a conversation between a Public Records Division staff attorney and a City representative, it is my understanding that the City intends on providing a subsequent response to Mr. Herms to address his concerns. Accordingly, the City is ordered to provide Mr. Herms with a response to his request in a manner consistent with the Public Records Law and its Access Regulations as soon as is practicable. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Mr. Herms may appeal the substantive nature of the City's response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us Seah Levy SPR20/1425 Page 2 August 31, 2020 Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: James Herms