Monday, November 09, 2009

City Hall still playing funny games with emails

As soon as the election was over, the City Hall attorney who earlier insisted that I make all FOIA requests through her, promptly insisted that she would no longer be facilitating my FOIA requests and that now I would have to go directly through the people that I used to make my requests to previously.

My first request was for her emails from the last 4 days as clearly she received instructions from "someone". So, the City apparently has hired outside counsel to answer this FOIA at what I assume is her usual cost of around $200 an hour. I thought we didn't have any money in the city????

What is so hard about just forwarding some emails, unless you have something to hide!!!

Her is outside counsel's response to me:

Dear Mr. McCrea,



I have your FOIA to Maribeth Cusick, seeking her emails from Friday, October 23 through Thursday, October 29. Please be advised that the cost of producing these materials is as follows: 2.5 hours of review, at $30 per hour; redaction; and production of 96 pages of material at $0.20 per page. The total cost is therefore $95.



If you wish to continue with this request, please send payment in that amount, payable to the City of Boston, and direct to my attention to the address below.



Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this matter.



Best,



Mary Jo Harris



___________________________________

Mary Jo Harris

MORGAN, BROWN & JOY, LLP

200 State Street

Boston, MA 02109

Tel: (617) 788-5011

Fax: (617) 367-3125

2 comments:

theszak said...

This is the tactic used by Boston City Council. Legislative activities regarding FOI Freedom of Information public records principles and sunshine open public meetings prinicples need to address the loophole. Could it be a matter for the Inspector General?... http://www.mass.gov/ig/ Could it be a matter for the Ethics Commission?... http://mass.gov/ethics

theszak said...

Boston City Councilor's remarks/debate during the last public meeting of Boston City Council are available. Ask for your favorite Councilors' remarks/debate during the last public meeting of Boston City Council via emfritch at aol.com
http://experts.martindale.com/
Court-Reporting-and-Deposition-Services/
1010005-0-Professionals-Results.html?Ntk=S_All&Ntt=fritch