Tom Duggan v. Methuen, City of - City Clerk (SPR 20210322)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records February 23, 2021 SPR21/0322 John J. Wilson, Esq. City Clerk City of Methuen Searles Building, Room 112 41 Pleasant Street Methuen, MA 01844 Dear Attorney Wilson: I have received the petition of Tom Duggan appealing the response of the City of Methuen (City) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On January 21, 2021, Mr. Duggan requested the following records: “[1] List of how much money the City has spent on legal representation that is outside the scope of any legal contract the City has with any law firm for 2020 and 2021 to the present … [2] Copy of all legal contracts the City has engaged in for 2020 and 2021 to the present[, and] [3] Printout of the top 20 employees who received overtime in DPW for 2020 and 2021….” The City provided a response on February 5, 2021, which included responsive records redacted pursuant to Exemption (c) of the Public Records Law. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(c). Unsatisfied with the City’s response, Mr. Duggan petitioned this office, and SPR21/0322, was opened as result. Subsequently, I learned that the City provided a supplemental response to Mr. Duggan’s request on February 18, 2021. Whereas the basis of this appeal was opened as a result of the City’s February 5th response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Duggan may appeal the substantive nature of the City’s response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Tom Duggan 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