Jack Rybicki v. Newbury, Town of (SPR 20253728)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records December 31, 2025 SPR25/3728 Tracy Blais Town Administrator Town of Newbury 12 Kent Way, Suite 101 Byfield, MA 01922 Dear Ms. Blais: I have received the petition of Jack Rybicki appealing the response of the Town of Newbury (Town) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On November 9, 2025, Mr. Rybicki requested the following: [1] At [a] recent Select Board meeting…it was announced our audited Free Cash Balance is roughly $3.2 million dollars. Specific mention was made of PEG money transfer of $1.2M being added by vote at the Annual Town Meeting 2025. This combined with the Free Cash balance of $750K after votes were taken, adds to $1.9M of the 3.2M cited. This leaves approximately $1.3M of the Free Cash balance not described, or ascribed, to any particular excess funding sources. As by the annual audit this $1.3[M] computes to 14% of the budget administratively managed where 3-5% is the Best Practice recommended goal for municipalities, taxpaying Newbury citizens desire to know how such $1.3M balance to transfer was arrived at; if there are other documents to that end, electronic copy would be appreciated. [2] Therefore please, may we citizens have electronic copy of April, May, June 2025 reports of “budget to actual reporting” documents developed per MA state law… Previous Appeal This request was the subject of a previous appeal. See SPR25/3436 Determination of the Supervisor of Records (December 4, 2025). In my December 4th determination, I ordered the Town to clarify whether it possessed records responsive to Mr. Rybicki’s request. The Town 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

Tracy Blais SPR25/3728 Page 2 December 31, 2025 provided a response on December 18, 2025. Unsatisfied with the Town’s response, Mr. Rybicki petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR25/3728, was opened as a result. Subsequently, I learned that the Town provided Mr. Rybicki with an additional response on December 30, 2025. Where this appeal was opened as a result of the Town’s December 18th response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Rybicki may appeal the substantive nature of the Town’s December 30th response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Jack Rybicki Joy Stanton Gretchen Girard