Commonwealth Transparency v. Essex, Town of - Town Clerk (SPR 20241267)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records April 30, 2024 SPR24/1267 Anne Dunne Records Access Officer Town of Essex 30 Main Street Essex, MA 01929 Dear Ms. Dunne: I have received the petition of Commonwealth Transparency (“requestor”) appealing the nonresponse of the Town of Essex (Town) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On April 26, 2024, the requestor sought: …the following documents/records in the possession or under the control of your school/district or town/city for the time period January 1, 2018 through April 5, 2024: [1.] Any and all contracts, communications, or documents of any kind with the following: Accountedge LLC - 3 Meadowlark Farm Lane, Middleton, MA 01949 USA . . . [2.] Any and all payments made to: Accountedge LLC - 3 Meadowlark Farm Lane, Middleton, MA 01949 USA . . . [3.] Any and all conflict of interest documents for: Accountedge LLC - 3 Meadowlark Farm Lane, Middleton, MA 01949 USA . . . Claiming to not yet have received responsive records, the requestor petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR24/1267, was opened as a result. Subsequently, I learned that the Town provided the requestor with a response dated April 29, 2024. Where this appeal was opened as a result of the Town’s lack of a written response, I will consider this administrative appeal closed. The requestor may appeal the substantive nature of the Town’s response within ninety (90) 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

Anne Dunne SPR24/1267 Page 2 April 30, 2024 Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Commonwealth Transparency