Supervisor of the Records
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Public Records Division
McCormack Building
1 Ashburton Place Room 1719
Boston MA 02108
Dear Supervisor of Records:
I received two replies, one from Acting City Solicitor Scanlon in Medford and
one from David Murphy, Assistant Superintendent of Schools.
Incredibly, neither city hall or the school system sent documents regarding
the proposed payment fees of a name change for the Christopher Columbus School.
I requested:
---any
document providing an estimate or final cost of the proposed
name-change of the Columbus school including (and not limited to) the
payment to consultants, planners and any other items regarding the name
change as well as ancillary items ...documents showing the fees for
changing the literature in Medford, the websites, etc.
This is for the Christopher Columbus School
My
original request is listed below the Acting City Solicitor's response.
(both their responses, City Hall and the School are attached)
Though I was unaware that the McGlynn school was built with that - McGlynn - being the only name, certainly they must have the
final costs for the school and what the payment for the name, and placing the signage on the building, cost?
As Mayor Lungo-Koehn ran on transparency, the huge public outcry on the proposed name change of the Columbus School is
newsworthy, of great public interest, and has lacked transparency. From the school committee agreeing to a name change
to how this will be paid during the pandemic has all been done with less "transparency" than the public expects....and
was promised to the citizenry by Mayor Lungo-Koehn on the campaign trail in 2019.
It is both inappropriate and negligent for a major municipality five miles north of Boston and its school system
to feign ignorance with such a costly, and to many - frivolous - project.
Again, I would like to know the cost, on documents, of the signage for the McGlynn School and documents
containing the estimate for a name change of the Christopher Columbus School.
If, indeed, city hall and the school system don't have accurate records regarding such a high profile
situation, with Election 2021, Nov. 2 a mere 214 days away, it is essential that the public get this
information - or not get this information - to make an educated, well-informed vote.
If the records do not exist, it is negligence. If the records do exist of the payment for the signage of the
McGlynn School and the estimate to remove the Columbus School name and replace it, then the public
deserves to see those documents.
Thank you for your quick response to this important subject
Respectfully,
Joe Viglione
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Kim Scanlon <kscanlon@medford-ma.gov>
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021, 12:46:34 PM EDT
Subject: Response to Records Request
Dear Mr. Viglione:
Attached please find my response to your records requests.
Very truly yours,
Kimberly M. Scanlon
Acting City Solicitor
Records Access Officer
City of Medford
City Hall
85 George P. Hassett Drive
Medford, MA 02155
781-393-2470
kscanlon@medford-ma.gov
______________________________________________
Fri, Mar 19 at 6:01 PM
from: Joe Viglione
Please respond to request via e mail
For easy access to public records request, it is online on the highly popular news site
Medford Information Central dot com
https://medfordinformationcentral.blogspot.com/2021/03/columbus-school-mcglynn-school-public.html
To: Keeper of the Records
Attorney Kimberly Scanlon
Medford City Hall, 2nd floor
85 George P. Hassett Drive
Medford MA 02155
Public Records Access Officer
Medford Public Schools
489 Winthrop Street
Medford, MA 02155
781-393-2200
mpspublicrecords@medford.k12.m a.us
Dear custodian of records:
Under the Massachusetts Public Records Act § 66-10 et seq., I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records documents of:
...the document(s) containing information on the name of the McGlynn school prior to its change ...what the school was called before it became the McGlynn School
---the document(s) describing the fees associated with the name change TO the McGlynn school including but not limited to the raising of the name to the building, the costs for change of stationery, website etc. etc.
---any document providing an estimate or final cost of the proposed name-change of the Columbus school including (and not limited to) the payment to consultants, planners and any other items regarding the name change as well as ancillary items ...documents showing the fees for changing the literature in Medford, the websites, etc.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed $_5.00 However, I would also like to request a waiver of all fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute significantly to the public’s understanding of what this journalist considers frivolous public expenditures during a pandemic
As a member of the media, writing for Medford News Weekly, Somerville News Weekly, my own popular online magazines Community Media Medford and Medford Information Central, as well as other online publications, Modern Cop Magazine, etc. etc. etc. I appreciate the fees being waived.
This information is not being sought for commercial purposes as my online publications are for the benefit of the public and are free. Please note: even former city solicitor Mark E. Rumley marveled while with this writer at his office - noting my hard work on behalf of the public; Indeed, I prevailed many times when Mr. Rumley objected TO my requests for public documents.
It is also important for the public to know that my records request is itself a PUBLIC document and I welcome other journalists and other members of the public to request a copy of this request and its answer to further benefit the public
The Massachusetts Public Records Act requires a response to this request within 10 days. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than this amount of time, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.
If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.
I kindly request responses via e mail to JoeViglione@yahoo.com
Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Joe Viglione
from: Joe Viglione
Please respond to request via e mail
For easy access to public records request, it is online on the highly popular news site
Medford Information Central dot com
https://medfordinformationcentral.blogspot.com/2021/03/columbus-school-mcglynn-school-public.html
To: Keeper of the Records
Attorney Kimberly Scanlon
Medford City Hall, 2nd floor
85 George P. Hassett Drive
Medford MA 02155
Public Records Access Officer
Medford Public Schools
489 Winthrop Street
Medford, MA 02155
781-393-2200
mpspublicrecords@medford.k12.m a.us
Dear custodian of records:
Under the Massachusetts Public Records Act § 66-10 et seq., I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records documents of:
...the document(s) containing information on the name of the McGlynn school prior to its change ...what the school was called before it became the McGlynn School
---the document(s) describing the fees associated with the name change TO the McGlynn school including but not limited to the raising of the name to the building, the costs for change of stationery, website etc. etc.
---any document providing an estimate or final cost of the proposed name-change of the Columbus school including (and not limited to) the payment to consultants, planners and any other items regarding the name change as well as ancillary items ...documents showing the fees for changing the literature in Medford, the websites, etc.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed $_5.00 However, I would also like to request a waiver of all fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute significantly to the public’s understanding of what this journalist considers frivolous public expenditures during a pandemic
As a member of the media, writing for Medford News Weekly, Somerville News Weekly, my own popular online magazines Community Media Medford and Medford Information Central, as well as other online publications, Modern Cop Magazine, etc. etc. etc. I appreciate the fees being waived.
This information is not being sought for commercial purposes as my online publications are for the benefit of the public and are free. Please note: even former city solicitor Mark E. Rumley marveled while with this writer at his office - noting my hard work on behalf of the public; Indeed, I prevailed many times when Mr. Rumley objected TO my requests for public documents.
It is also important for the public to know that my records request is itself a PUBLIC document and I welcome other journalists and other members of the public to request a copy of this request and its answer to further benefit the public
The Massachusetts Public Records Act requires a response to this request within 10 days. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than this amount of time, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.
If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.
I kindly request responses via e mail to JoeViglione@yahoo.com
Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Joe Viglione
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