Roger Gibboni v. North Adams, City of (SPR 20231909)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William FrancisGalvin,Secretary oftheCommonwealth PublicRecords Division ManzaArthur SupervisorofRecords August 30,2023 SPR23/1909 Carrie Burnett Grants,Special Projects& Procurement Officer CityofNorth Adams 10MainStreet,2nd Floor NorthAdams,MA01247 DearMs. Burnett: Ihave receivedthepetition of RogerGibboni, appealingthe response oftheCityofNorth Adams(City) to hisrequest for public records.SeeG.L. c.66,§10A; see also950C.M.R. 32.08(1).On July31,2023,Mr.Gibboni requestedthe following records: [1].Documents relatedto thedisplayof transgenderpride flagsoncity owned lightposts onMainStreetduringthemonth ofJune2023. [2.]Documents relatedto anyexpenditure oftaxpayerfunds for thepurchaseor useofthe abovereferenced flags. [3.]Documents relatingto theuseof city personnelto install orremove theabove referenced flags. [4.]Documents relatingto theuseof city vehicles,machineryor equipmentto installorremove the abovereferenced flags. TheCityprovided aresponse onAugust 3,2023.Unsatisfied with theresponse, Mr. Gibbonipetitioned this officeand thisappeal, SPR23/1909, wasopened asaresult. The PublicRecords Law ThePublic RecordsLaw strongly favors disclosurebycreatinga presumption that all governmental recordsare public records.G.L.c. 66,§10A(d); 950C.M.R.32.03(4).“Public records”is broadly definedto includeall documentary materialsor data,regardlessof physical formorcharacteristics, made orreceived byanyofficer oremployee ofanyagency or One AshburtonPlace,Room 1719,Boston,Massachusetts 02108•(617) 727-2832• Fax: (617)727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre•pre@sec.state.ma.us

Carrie Burnett SPR23/1909 Page2 August 30,2023 municipalityof theCommonwealth, unless fallingwithin astatutory exemption.G. L.c.4,§ 7(26). Itisthe burdenof therecordscustodianto demonstrate theapplicationof anexemptionin order to withholdarequested record.G.L.c. 66,§10(b)(iv);950C.M.R. 32.06(3);see alsoDist. Attorneyfor theNorfolk Dist.v.Flatley,419Mass.507,511(1995) (custodianhasthe burdenof establishingthe applicability ofanexemption).To meetthespecificity requirementacustodian mustnot only citean exemption,butmust alsostatewhy theexemptionappliesto thewithheld orredacted portionof theresponsive record. The City’s August3rd response InitsAugust 3,2023response,the Citystated,“[t]heCity ofNorthAdams hasno documentsresponsive tothis request.” Current appeal Inhis appeal, Mr.Gibboni statesthefollowing: Imade 4electronicrequests andoneformal requestthrough my attorney.All of mydirect requests wereignored.The response to therequest frommy attorney claimedtheinformationis unavailable. I findit difficultto believe that thecity hasnoinformationregardingtheuse ofpublic fundsand labor.Ialso amappalled attheflippant disregardfor public informationbyacitizen ofthestate.I have attachedmy formalrequest anda copyofthe city’s response. Iwould appreciate yourhelponthis matter. NoDuty to CreateRecords Inatelephone conversation betweena PublicRecords Divisionstaff attorney anda City representative,the Cityconfirmed that it hasnorecordsresponsive to therequest. Pleasebe advised,under thePublicRecords Law theCityis not requiredto create a recordin response to apublic recordsrequest. SeeG. L.c.66,§6A(d). Inaddition, apublic employeeis not requiredto answerquestions, ordoresearch,or createdocumentsin response to questions.See 32Op.Atty Gen. 157,165(May18,1977).The duty to comply withrequests for recordsextends tothoserecordsthat exist andare in thepossession, custody,orcontrolof the custodianofrecords atthetimeof therequest. SeeG. L.c.66,§10(a)(ii). Conclusion WheretheCity hasconfirmed that itdoes not possessresponsiverecords, andhasnoduty tocreate recordsresponsive to therequest, Iwill nowconsider thisadministrative appeal closed. If

Carrie Burnett SPR23/1909 Page3 August 30,2023 Mr.Gibboni is notsatisfiedwith theresolution of thisadministrative appeal, heis advised that this officeshares jurisdictionwith theSuperiorCourt of theCommonwealth. SeeG.L.c. 66§10(A)(c). Sincerely, Manza Arthur SupervisorofRecords cc: RogerGibboni