All "goatscaping" performance assessments

Beryl Lipton filed this request with the Boston City Clerk of Boston, MA.
Submitted Aug. 9, 2014
Status
Completed

Communications

From: Beryl Lipton

Subject: None

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c.66, ยง10, I hereby request the following records:

All reports related to the performance of goats used in the maintenance of Hyde Park public spaces

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Beryl Lipton

From: Ryan Woods

Subject: None

Email

Beryl:

On Wednesday, August 13th, the City Clerks office sent us a Freedom of
Information Act on goats. Attached is all the documents the Parks
Department has on the Goatscaping project in Hyde Park. This is a project
that was taken on by South West Boston Community Development Corporation
(SWBCDC). Their part time teenage staff approached Mayor Walsh at his
annual Coffee Hour event on May 27th with the idea of having goats help
clean up an Urban Wild area in Hyde Park that is overgrown with invasive
plants such as poison ivy. At this event the Mayor told the crowd he liked
the youth's enthusiasm for the project and asked the Parks Department to
look into it. The South West Boston CDC did all the work on this project.
They obtained the liability, they flyered the neighborhood and they are
the ones ultimately responsible for the project.The SWBCDC are the ones
with the majority of the information as they are the ones that worked out
the agreement with the goatscaping company. The Parks Department as the
property owner permits them to be on the Urban Wild site for 8 weeks and
this project comes with no cost to the city of Boston. The documents that
we have received and/or responded to are attached and the answers to the
questions are below.

*1. Freedom of Information Acts: All "go**atscaping" performance
assessments*
*There have not been any performance assessments made on the project as of
yet. An assessment will be done at the conclusion of the 8 week project,
which is slated to end mid-September. *

*2. Freedom of Information Acts: Mayor Walsh/Chris Cook Communications re;
goats*
*Mayor Walsh has not had any communications on the goats other than
speaking of the request at the annual Coffee Hour that was held in Hyde
Park. The attached documents show anything that Interim Commissioner Cook
or our Director of Design and Construction, Robert Rottenbucher have signed
off on. *

*3. Freedom of Information Acts: City of Boston Contracts with SWBCDC and
the Goatscaping Company*
*All agreements are attached.*

Please let me know if you have any more questions or if I could be of any
further assistance.

Best,
Ryan
*Ryan Woods*
*Director of External Affairs*
*Boston Parks and Recreation Department*
*1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd floor*
*Boston, MA 02118*
*(p) 617-961-3015*
*(f) 617-635-3173*

*follow @BostonParksDept <https://twitter.com/BostonParksDept>*
*Like us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/bostonparksdepartment>*

From: Beryl Lipton

Subject: None

Email

Hello Mr. Woods,

Thank you so much for your response. Your clarification on each point is much appreciated.

I hope you have a lovely week!
Beryl C.D. Lipton

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