What records are public? Every record that is made or received by a government entity or employee is presumed to be a public record unless a specific statutory exemption permits or requires it to be withheld in whole or in part. Specific statutory exemptions have been created by the legislature. These exemptions, which are discretionary to the records custodian, allow the records custodian to withhold a record from the general public.
So the Templeton Board of Selectmen quoted the following to deny a public records request:
Massachusetts General Law, chapter 4, section 7 (26) exemption c:
Section 7: Definitions of statutory terms; statutory construction
Section 7. In construing statutes the following words shall have the meanings herein given, unless a contrary intention clearly appears:
Twenty-sixth, "Public records'' shall mean 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 agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division or authority of the commonwealth, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any authority established by the general court to serve a public purpose, or any person, corporation, association, partnership or other legal entity which receives or expends public funds for the payment or administration of pensions for any current or former employees of the commonwealth or any political subdivision as defined in section 1 of chapter 32, unless such materials or data fall within the following exemptions in that they are:
(c) personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
Since I believe an employee time sheet is about the spending of public monies and would show the hours an employee works, this is worth a letter to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
posted by Jeff Bennett
DHB when are you going to tell us on your FB that you lied about blocking people and deleting post and then trashing someone to others. I would put this on your FB but you would delete it and then block me. It took me awhile to figure you are a lier and not trust worthy. What else are you not telling the truth about?
ReplyDeleteSign your name to your posts. I see I haven't gotten a reply since I posted mine.
DeleteWhat is that old saying ? I think it is "What you do comes back to you", or "What goes around comes around." !! It's funny how those sayings are true, no matter when they are said.
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous. I posted on a different blog that I have every right to block anyone I want on my personal page. I don't and won't block anyone on my Selectwoman page. I cannot recall trashing anyone as if I wanted to do that I would do it to your face and if I posted it would have my name on it. If you wish to show me what I said and if it was that I trashed someone I will apologize. I am respectful and thoughtful in my posts. Again, I will say it out loud as well.
ReplyDeletePlease share. I don't recall lying as that is not my nature and I like to have good discussion.
And, for the record I believe that Jeff should have gotten the records he asked for and I stated as such to the INT TA.
ReplyDelete