Public Records Requests
What are public records?
The Massachusetts General Laws define public records as “all books, papers, maps, photographs, recorded tapes, financial statements, statistical tabulations, or other documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee” of any Massachusetts governmental entity, unless a specific exemption exists.
For more information about the public records law, please see the Secretary of State’s publication, A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law (PDF).
All records are retained in accordance with state records retention regulations. The university adheres to the Statewide Records Retention Schedule and the MA State Colleges
WORCESTER The city Friday said it intends to implement a police body camera program by 2022 at the latest, and will start scheduling meetings to get community input shortly.
“The city is committed to a body camera program, and will soon be engaging in community conversations on what that would look like,” spokesman Walter Bird wrote in an email to the Telegram & Gazette on Friday.
“I’m grateful for the announcement from the city today,” James P. McGovern, the city’s longtime Democratic Congressman, said in a telephone interview, adding that federal COVID-19 relief funds should ease the program’s cost.
Interim Greenfield super replies to newspaper’s public records request
HOULE
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GREENFIELD The Greenfield Recorder has received an answer to its public records request for 15 months’ worth of emails between School Committee members.
Shortly after social media lit up in mid-March with comments and concerns about the School Committee chair and vice chair communicating through email, alleging that they have violated Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, among other things, the Recorder’s request was submitted on March 20.
The reporter received a letter 10 business days later from Interim Superintendent Judith Houle of The Management Solution (TMS) the Greenfield School Department is currently paying Houle, TMS President Andrew Paquette (the department’s business manager), two consultants and a communications specialist saying the public records request yielded 32,208 emails.
WORCESTER Testimony in the Telegram & Gazette’s lawsuit against the city over its refusal to release police disciplinary records wrapped up Friday in Worcester Superior Court.
Assistant City Solicitor Janice E. Thompson, who took the stand Nov. 2 and again Nov. 20 to testify about the city’s handling of the disputed records, finished testifying and lawyers from both sides rested.
Judge Janet Kenton-Walker, who is presiding over the bench trial, asked both sides to submit legal briefs on their positions ahead of closing arguments scheduled for Jan. 11.
Chiefly at issue in the case is whether the city can withhold internal affairs records and summaries because an officer is being sued for misconduct.