The Complainant alleged the Town Council convened into executive session under R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(2) for "litigation," but since all the parties to the litigation were present, the Complainant alleged the meeting should have occurred in open session. This Department concluded that the...
The Manville Fire District violated the OMA when ten (10) of its meeting minutes were either not filed on the Secretary of State's website or were untimely filed. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-7(b)(2). The Fire District also violated the OMA because its 2014 annual notice is not posted on the...
Based upon the present facts, the Office cannot conclude that the Newport Public Library is a public body as that term is defined in the APRA. The Library is not a public or private agency, person, partnership, corporation or business entity acting on behalf of and/or in place of any public agency,
Mr. Clark raises numerous allegations that the Fire District violated the APRA by not providing him access to his personnel file and by not properly responding to his requests. This Department found no violations and determined that Mr. Clark's request and complaint was more properly focused on...
Mr. Clark raised numerous allegations that the Fire District violated the OMA and the APRA. This Department determined that the Fire District violated the APRA by not providing the specific reason for a denial and by not advising Mr. Clark of his appellate remedies. The Fire District also...
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority ("RITBA") violated the APRA when it failed to fully respond to the Complainant's APRA request dated March 11, 2014. The fact that RITBA timely responded to the APRA request with some of the documents shows that RITBA was aware of the APRA requirements.
The Portsmouth Police Department did not violate the APRA when it withheld from disclosure incident reports that did not lead to an arrest. This Department found that the privacy interests outweighed any interest the public may have in disclosure of such a report because when the police determine...
Complainant, on behalf of his client, sought access to records pertaining to the "investigation of complaint made by Deborah Pisaturo against Kent County Memorial Hospital." Based on the totality of the circumstances, and based on our understanding that no final action had been taken on the matter,
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority ("RITBA") violated the OMA when it failed to timely post its minutes for the July 9, 2014 meeting on the Secretary of State's website in violation of R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-7(d). This Department shall allow the RITBA ten (10) business days to...
The Complainant alleged that the Westerly School Redesign Advisory Committee ("Committee") violated the Open Meetings Act ("OMA") when it denied him access to the August 7, 2014 meeting because the entry doors. Rhode Island General Laws § 42-46-14 states, "[i]n all actions brought under this...
