Lead Testing for School Drinking Water (Wellesley School Department)

Eesha Pendharkar filed this request with the Wellesley School Department of Wellesley, MA.
Multi Request Lead Testing for School Drinking Water
Submitted March 28, 2018
Status
Completed

Communications

From: Eesha Pendharkar

Subject: Massachusetts Public Records Law Request: Lead Testing for School Drinking Water (Wellesley School Department)

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. A list of all schools under the jurisdiction of this agency.
2. All results for individual lead testing conducted by your town/city on drinking water in schools under the jurisdiction of this agency since January 1, 2017.
3. All meeting minutes or communications - including but not limited to memos, emails, notes, and analytical reports - regarding:
a. the decision to decline MA DEP assistance - technical or otherwise - for the testing of school drinking water
b. levels of lead found in water used by schools under the jurisdiction of this agency since 1 January, 2017.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection database for school drinking water testing for lead, public schools within this town did not volunteer for the state's assistance program, which offered free testing to schools.
(For reference: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/drinking/testing-assistance-for-lead-in-school-drinking-water.html)

Please provide this information on a rolling basis or contact me at eesha@bu.edu if you have any questions at all about the contents of this request.

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 there are fees, 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 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Eesha Pendharkar

From: Eesha Pendharkar

Subject: Massachusetts Public Records Law Request: Lead Testing for School Drinking Water (Wellesley School Department)

Email

hi,
I'm following up on my FOIA request since I have not received any response within the mandated 10 days. Please let me know the status of my request. Thanks!

From: Wellesley School Department

Subject: Public Records Request

Email

Good afternoon,
Our apologies for the delay. There appears to be some internal confusion as to who was to respond to this request.

The Town's DPW Water Department typically tests two schools per year. In June 2016 the Town decided to sample/test all schools in the District (memo and test result attached). Your request has specifically asked for test results since January 1, 2017. I've attached those as well for Bates and Sprague schools. The Town continues to test a few schools each year as has been the Water Department's protocol, unless regulations require more frequent testing. At this time, the 2018 tests have not occurred. The Town does not have any additional memos/emails/reports or any decision to decline MA DEP assistance .

You have a right to appeal to this determination to the Supervisor of Records under M.G.L. c.66, ยง10A(a) and the right to seek judicial review of an unfavorable decision by commencing a civil action in the superior court under subsection (c) of section 10A.

Meghan C. Jop, AICP
Assistant Executive Director
Town of Wellesley
mjop@wellesleyma.gov<mailto:mjop@wellesleyma.gov>
(P) 781-431-1019 ext. 2205
Direct dial 781-489-4300

Think Green... please don't print this e-mail unless it's absolutely necessary.
When responding, please be advised, the Town of Wellesley and the Secretary of State have determined that email could be considered a public record.

Wellesley School Department
PRL Office
40 Kingsbury Street<https://maps.google.com/?q=40+Kingsbury+Street+Wellesley,+MA+02481&entry=gmail&source=g>
Wellesley, MA 02481<https://maps.google.com/?q=40+Kingsbury+Street+Wellesley,+MA+02481&entry=gmail&source=g>
April 27, 2018
This is a follow up to a previous request:
hi,
I'm following up on my FOIA request since I have not received any response within the mandated 10 days. Please let me know the status of my request. Thanks!
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/wellesley-school-department-258/lead-testing-for-school-drinking-water-wellesley-school-department-51901/?email=addie_doherty%40wellesley.k12.ma.us&uuid-login=cb81b158-e4e1-4ee7-9b88-cfdc2245cbc4#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 51901
411A Highland Ave<https://maps.google.com/?q=411A+Highland+Ave+Somerville,+MA+02144&entry=gmail&source=g>
Somerville, MA 02144<https://maps.google.com/?q=411A+Highland+Ave+Somerville,+MA+02144&entry=gmail&source=g>-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request was filed by a MuckRock staff reporter. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
---
On March 28, 2018:
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1. A list of all schools under the jurisdiction of this agency.
2. All results for individual lead testing conducted by your town/city on drinking water in schools under the jurisdiction of this agency since January 1, 2017.
3. All meeting minutes or communications - including but not limited to memos, emails, notes, and analytical reports - regarding:
a. the decision to decline MA DEP assistance - technical or otherwise - for the testing of school drinking water
b. levels of lead found in water used by schools under the jurisdiction of this agency since 1 January, 2017.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection database for school drinking water testing for lead, public schools within this town did not volunteer for the state's assistance program, which offered free testing to schools.
(For reference: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/drinking/testing-assistance-for-lead-in-school-drinking-water.html)
Please provide this information on a rolling basis or contact me at eesha@bu.edu<mailto:eesha@bu.edu> if you have any questions at all about the contents of this request.
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 there are fees, 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 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Eesha Pendharkar
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/wellesley-school-department-258/lead-testing-for-school-drinking-water-wellesley-school-department-51901/?email=addie_doherty%40wellesley.k12.ma.us&uuid-login=cb81b158-e4e1-4ee7-9b88-cfdc2245cbc4#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 51901
411A Highland Ave<https://maps.google.com/?q=411A+Highland+Ave+Somerville,+MA+02144&entry=gmail&source=g>
Somerville, MA 02144<https://maps.google.com/?q=411A+Highland+Ave+Somerville,+MA+02144&entry=gmail&source=g>-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request was filed by a MuckRock staff reporter. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
[Image removed by sender.]

Files

pages

 Close