PR 99-15 (1999).
Case Date | October 19, 1999 |
Court | Rhode Island |
Rhode Island Attorney General Opinions
1999.
PR 99-15 (1999).
State of Rhode
IslandDepartment of the Attorney GeneralPR 99-15 (1999)PR 99-15 Smith v. Watch Hill Fire DistrictUnofficial Finding PR 99-15October 19, 1999Mr. George B. SmithWest Hartford,
Connecticut 06107Re: Smith v.
Watch Hill Fire DistrictOUR File No.: PR 99-0230
Dear Mr. Smith:
The investigation into your Access to Public Records Act (APRA)
complaint is complete. You allege that the Watch Hill Fire District (Fire
District) improperly denied you access to several categories of public
records.
I. Facts
In September 1998, you forwarded a letter (hereafter "original
letter") to the Fire District requesting over twenty categories of documents.
Apparently, many documents were supplied, however, according to your May 1999
complaint, the following documents were not furnished: (1) records identifying
the assignment of Fire District parking stickers, (2) minutes of a meeting
referenced in then-Fire Chief Greene's April 6, 1998 memorandum, (3) Mr. Robert
Weisberg's full report (including diagrams and drawings), (4) schematics of the
complete audible and inaudible fire signaling systems, (5) all financial and
lease documents pertaining to the merry-go-round, and (6) "[a]ll instructions,
guidelines, rules and regulations pertaining to all duties and responsibilities
of the tax collector including the assessment of penalties, interest, and the
auctioning of properties, as these items are not authorized by the Charter." In
addition, you complain that the Fire District has required you to prepay for
documents.
After reviewing your complaint, this Department notified you that
your original letter to the Fire District did not request "[a]ll financial and
lease documents pertaining to the merry-go-round," as your complaint had
alleged. Consequently, we informed you that before this aspect of your
complaint could be investigated, you should request these documents from the
Fire District.
Mr. George B. Smith
October 19, 1999
Page 2 of 5
Thereafter, you forwarded a second complaint to this Department.
This complaint indicated that you indeed had requested documents relating to
the merry-go-round and a bathing beach, and that you indeed had been denied
access to: (1) an itemization of the 1997 lessee expenses, (2) a description of
the bathhouses (including the total number of units), (3) the availability of
employee parking and income from parking, (4) the breakdown of income from the...
To continue reading
Request your trial