Cooley, Al v. Department of Conservation and Recreation (SPR 20260532)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records February 17, 2026 SPR26/0532 Michael Tencellent Records Access Officer Department of Conservation and Recreation 251 Causeway Street Boston, MA 02114 Dear Mr.Tencellent: I have received the petition of Al Cooley appealing the response of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (Department) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On January 6, 2026, Mr. Cooley requested “. . . the records described below for the period January 1, 2015 through the present:” [1] Boundary and Jurisdiction Documents: (a) All DCR maps, GIS records, jurisdictional boundary documents, or related materials showing the official boundary lines for DCR- controlled parkways, streets, sidewalks, curbs, or rights-of-way near the intersection of Boylston Street and Park Drive, Boston, MA[;] (b) Any legal descriptions, plats, easements, agreements, or permits that identify the ownership or maintenance responsibility for the sidewalk and curb along Boylston Street at Park Drive and adjacent sidewalk segments[;] [2] Maintenance and Inspection Records: (a) All maintenance schedules, work orders, inspection reports, repair logs, or similar records that reference maintenance or inspection of sidewalks, curbs, or pedestrian infrastructure at or near the intersection of Boylston Street and Park Drive, Boston, MA[;] (b) Any correspondence (including inter-agency emails) that discuss which government entity is responsible for maintenance at that location[;] [3] Communications Regarding Jurisdiction: 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

Michael Tencellent SPR26/0532 Page 2 February 17, 2026 (a) All communications (emails, letters, memoranda, or internal notes) between DCR staff and other agencies (including the City of Boston, MassDOT, or the Executive Office of Transportation) regarding jurisdiction or responsibility for the Boylston Street sidewalk/curb at Park Drive[.] The Department responded on January 20, 2026. Unsatisfied with the response, Mr. Cooley petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR26/0532, was opened as a result. Subsequently, I learned that the Department provided Mr. Cooley with a supplemental response on February 13, 2026. Where this appeal was opened as a result of the Department’s January 20th response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Cooley may appeal the substantive nature of the Department’s February 13th response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Al Cooley