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Supervisor ofRecords
August 3, 2015
SPR15/181
Ms. Caroline Driscoll, Esq.
City of Boston Law Department
City Hall, Room 615
Boston, MA 0221 0
Dear Attorney Driscoll:
I have received the April 9, 2015 petition by Jonathan Cohn, Joel Fleming, and Dan
Currie appealing the response of the City of Boston (City) to requests for public records. G. L. c.
66 1O(b); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). In the petition, the requesters explain, "[i]n December
2014, the Boston 2024 Partnership, Inc," and the City "submitted a bid to the United States
Olympic Committee, ... seeking to represent the United States in submitting a bid to the
International Olympic Committee ... to host the 2024 Olympics." Specifically, Mr. Cohn, Mr.
Fleming, and Mr. Currie requested records related to the 2024 Olympics.
Combined Appeal
This appeal was opened as a result of Mr. Fleming's petition dated March 10, 2015
indicating he was unsatisfied with the City's response dated February 17, 2015. See
Determination of the Supervisor of Records (March 16, 2015). Subsequent to opening the
present appeal, Mr. Cohn, Mr. Fleming, and Mr. Currie submitted the joint petition appealing the
City's responses to their respective requests for records.
Basis of Appeal
The requesters contend that the City has failed to meet its fundamental burdens under the
Public Records Law by issuing identical responses to different requests by several requesters.
Further, the requesters contend that, as a general practice, the City does not consider requests for
records to include email records unless specifically stated by the requester. Finally, the
requesters contend that, as a result of the above, the City's response to each of the requests is
inadequate and incomplete. The requesters seek an order against the City to ensure a complete
and thorough search of all responsive records is made in response to their requests. For these
reasons I have combined each request, response and petition into this one administrative order.
OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 (617) 727-2832 Fax (617) 727-5914
www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre
SPR15/181
SPR15/181
SPR15/181
records are exempt from disclosure it must, within ten (1 0) days provide to each a written
explanation, with specificity, how a particular exemption applies to each record. To meet the
specificity requirement a custodian must not only cite an exemption, but must also state why the
exemption applies to the withheld or redacted portion of the responsive record. A copy of any
such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this
response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us.
If there are any fees associated with each individual response a written, good faith
estimate must be provided. G. L. c. 66, 10(a); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.06(2) (where cost of
complying with a request for public records is expected to exceed ten dollars ($10.00), custodian
of records shall provide written good faith estimate). Once the fees are paid, the City must
provide the responsive records.