Cover Letter of all Findings

Mr. Osmond,
I want to make sure I’m not missing something. Are you requesting records from the CT Department of Transportation? The material below appears to be directed to CHRO.

Judd Everhart

Judd Everhart
Director of Communications
Connecticut Department of Transportation
2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
860 594-3062
judd.everhart@ct.gov<mailto:judd.everhart@ct.gov>

These keep coming in. You indicated earlier that you were trying to get records from CHRO, not DOT. Please clarify and let me know exactly what records/documents you are requesting.

Does this involve a DOT employee? I am having trouble understanding why you keep sending this to the DOT.

Dear Mr. Osmond,

Per your Freedom of Information request please see the attached correspondence. If you have any questions or need any further assistance please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I am currently reviewing your request and should have a response to you by this Monday at the latest. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Hi Mr. Osmond,

In regards to your Freedom of Information request please see the attached correspondence. If you have any questions or need any further assistance please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06106
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Dear Mr. Osmond,

The agency has both received and reviewed your FOI request. Please find my response listed below:

1. The link that you sent regarding the sample letters that you are requesting, I am unable to open/access. So I’m still unclear as to what exactly it is that you are requesting.

2. Regarding item #3, your original request asked for “Annual Reports to the Governor”, so thank you for clarifying that you are interested in the Affirmative Action documents presented to the General Assembly. I am currently working with someone in that area and will promptly notify you when the documents have been gathered.

3. In regards to item #4, the agency is unclear as to what you are referring to when stating that “the internal data is a public record”. What internal data are you referring to that you believe is a “public record”? Please be more specific and detailed in your request.

If you believe that explaining this request by telephone would better assist both you and myself in detailing exactly what you are asking for, then please feel free to give me a call. My direct dial is (860) 541-3438. Your assistance in trying to resolve this matter is greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry

November 12, 2016
Connecticut Department of Transportation

This is a follow up to a previous request:

To: Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Legal Division
(860) 541-3438
Dear Mr. Perry

Below is my answer to each item.

1. The agency is unclear as to your request regarding “all Findings”, it would be greatly appreciated if you could clarify exactly what particular information you are requesting;

Here is link to sample of the letters I'm looking for. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxR-MJAxd7qFcDRPdGgyMDR5eWM/view?usp=sharing

2) Please be advised that pursuant to the Connecticut Record Retention Schedules #07-3-1 #3 all administrative records are destroyed in their entirety five (5) years after final disposition. Therefore, all files between the years 2011 and earlier have been destroyed and are no longer available. Also, records that have reached their final dispositions and are between the years 2012 through 2013 are stored offsite requiring that each and every file be ordered, which could require that this request take a minimum of a year to complete especially providing the fact that the agency is extremely understaffed;

I'm still asking for these records.

3) After reviewing the agency’s website, I am confirming that the “Annual Reports to the Governor that you are also requesting are in fact available on the agency’s website page for the years 2009 through 2016 and are stored under the link “Publications”;

According to your website the Annual Reports to the Governor and General Assembly on Affirmative Action in Connecticut State Agencies is only up to 2009. There are no reports after 2009. The last time I asked for this I was told that your agency is working on it. Here is the linkhttp://www.ct.gov/chro/cwp/view.asp?a=2521&q=435338
I'm still looking for reports after 2009.

4) In regards to providing you access to the agency’s case tracking database, please understand that this is an internal database specifically designed to be utilized by employees of the agency and is not available for public access;

The internal data is public record, so I would like to get a copy of it.

5) The agency is also in receipt of your request to have fees waived for this request. Please be advised that depending on the size and content of the request it is up to the agency whether or not to waive any fees. Unfortunately, because this request appears to be extensive and could possibly total thousands of pages being copied, the agency will have to charge for those copies at twenty-five (.25) cents per page.

Thank you
Adam Osmond

Hi Mr. Osmond,

This is just a follow up to your previous email. The agency is still in the process of reviewing your request. Once this is completed you will be forwarded an invoice for any charges regarding the copying costs. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
Legal Division
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I’m still gathering information, unfortunately, the person whom I was working with on gathering said information passed away unexpectedly this past week. At this point I have no time frame on when I will be able to resume this. Everyone here is in the process of resuming their normal everyday working routine. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you in advance for your patience.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

As previously mentioned to you, the agency has been dealing with the untimely death of a coworker, the same coworker that was assisting me in retrieving a good portion of the documents for your request and currently we are in the process of reviewing what documents she may or may not have been able to gather. I too received some devastating news that one of my brothers died yesterday while at work of a possible heart attack and so I will be away out of state in order to deal with that situation. Unfortunately, at this point and time I am unable to provide you with a definite date and or timeframe as to when the request will be processed, other than to say that I am working as diligently as I can in trying to process your request. Again, I thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I just came back to work, so I expect to have an answer to by early next week.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I just want to updated on your FOI request. Currently, I am trying to find a way to gather all of the documents that your request is asking for. Because this is such a broad request requiring that I provide at least four years of documents, this request could easily take anywhere from 6 to 9 months from the date of this email to complete. It could possibly lead to thousands of pages at 25 cents per page, which would have to be prepaid prior to the releasing of documents. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused, but with a request as extensive as this is it does take a long time to complete. If you have any questions or need any additional assistance please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Specialist
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Hi Mr. Osmond,

Based on my previous response to you, I still do not have a definite date as to when this request will be answered.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry

Hi Mr. Osmond,

Below is my previous email to you dated January 31, 2017 detailing a timeframe on when you could possibly expect documents regarding your FOI request. As of today that timeframe has not changed. Your request is considerably extensive which is why the timeframe of 6 to 9 months is necessary.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I just want to updated on your FOI request. Currently, I am trying to find a way to gather all of the documents that your request is asking for. Because this is such a broad request requiring that I provide at least four years of documents, this request could easily take anywhere from 6 to 9 months from the date of this email to complete. It could possibly lead to thousands of pages at 25 cents per page, which would have to be prepaid prior to the releasing of documents. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused, but with a request as extensive as this is it does take a long time to complete. If you have any questions or need any additional assistance please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Specialist
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438

Hi Mr. Osmond,

As of today, I expect to have your request completed by mid to late July as originally stated in my previous emails.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

As of today, I expect to have your request completed by mid to late July as originally stated in my previous emails.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

As of today, I expect to have your request completed by mid to late July as originally stated in my previous emails.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

As of today, I expect to have your request completed by mid to late July as originally stated in my previous emails. If anything should change I will update you.
Charles

Hi Ms. Osmond,

I’m still in the process of reviewing your request and should have an response to you within the next few days or so.

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

This is to update you on the status of your request. Based on your extensive request, the Commission is still in the process of reviewing said request and anticipate that it should be about another week or two in order to provide a response to you. Thank you for your patience regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry

Mr. Osmond,

Once again, I apologize for the delay but I am still currently gathering information regarding your request. I expect my search to be completed within the next week or so. Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

Charles

Hi Mr. Osmond,

I fully anticipate that a response will be forwarded to you this week. As always thank you very much for your patience regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry

A letter stating the requester must agree to or prepay assessed or estimated fees in order for the agency to continue processing the request.

Mr. Osmond,

Per my letter to you dated September 15, 2017, the information that the agency has compiled is in fact available on it’s webpage. In any event I have attached a copy of the document for your review. Please see the attached entitled “Affirmative Action Plan Data Report” “Analysis of Affirmative Action in Connecticut State Agencies Calendar Years 2008-2015. There are not additional documents responsive to this particular request. If you have any questions or need any additional assistance please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles Perry, Paralegal Specialist/FOI Officer
Legal Division
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 2
Hartford, CT 06103
Tel: (860) 541-3438