Brenda Eckstrom v. Wareham, Town of - Town Administrator (SPR 20232782)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records November 30, 2023 SPR23/2782 Derek D. Sullivan Town Administrator Town of Wareham 54 Marion Road Wareham, MA 02571 Dear Mr. Sullivan: I have received the petition of Brenda Eckstrom appealing the nonresponse of the Town of Wareham (Town) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On October 30, 2023, Ms. Eckstrom requested the following records: [1.] A copy of every waiting list for every location (identified) in Wareham that the Town offers bench placement; [2.] A copy of any letters or emails written to the Town requesting to donate a bench or requesting the placement of a bench that got them on ‘the list’; [3.] Any correspondence from the Town Administrator’s office, or any other office authorized to [identified individuals] explaining the process for getting a memorial bench placed and the reason their requests were denied or placed on a waiting list; [4.] A copy of the letter written by [an identified individual] sometime around 2019-2020 requesting the slat bench that was put in during the summer of 2020; [5.] A copy of the charges and payment for the slat bench that was granted by the Select Board, in 2020, and its recent repairs that [an identified individual] spoke of at Town Meeting…and who paid for the bench, the installation, who oversaw the installation and who paid for the repairing of the footing. Claiming to not yet have received responsive records, Ms. Eckstrom petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR23/2782, was opened as a result. Despite being notified of the opening of this appeal, it remains unclear whether the Town has provided a response. Accordingly, the Town is ordered to provide Ms. Eckstrom with a response to her request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten (10) business days. A copy of any such response must be provided 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

Derek D. Sullivan SPR23/2782 Page 2 November 30, 2023 to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of the response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Ms. Eckstrom may appeal the substantive nature of the Town’s response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Brenda Eckstrom