tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11031470.post2181518947343674520..comments2023-12-09T03:40:55.044-05:00Comments on Allston Brighton Community Blog: Michael Pahre looks at the City Council raceHarry Mattisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16538583371784475876noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11031470.post-74738317245271129602007-05-09T05:46:00.000-04:002007-05-09T05:46:00.000-04:00_ _ _ _ _ a comment by ... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _..._ _ _ _ _ a comment by ... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _<BR/>All government documents should be posted to the internet and freely<BR/>available without requests!<BR/><BR/>There are states that do this already.<BR/><BR/>Our State Supervisor of Public Records, Alan Cote, has already<BR/>proposed this, and also proposed scanning archives to have all govt<BR/>docs, state and city, digitized.<BR/><BR/>NO MORE PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS NECESSARY,<BR/>NO MORE DISCOURAGEMENT VIA HUGE COPYING AND SEARCHING CHARGES.<BR/><BR/>You might call his office and see what the progress is 617 727-2832<BR/><BR/><BR/>_ _ _ _ _ a comment by ... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _<BR/> If the City posted the stenographic output of these machines<BR/>(and minutes and reports recived, etc.) to the city website, the<BR/>public could have ready access without having to file a request, and<BR/>they could select the parts in which they were interested.<BR/><BR/>If a hard copy were desired or needed, it could be downloaded and<BR/>printed out by the person wanting the hard copy.<BR/><BR/><BR/> It seems that too many government agencies are still<BR/>looking for ways to do business under the cloak of darkness and use<BR/>things like cost and inconvenience to discourage people from asking<BR/>for information.<BR/><BR/>If the notion that the best disinfectant for government business is<BR/>sunshine, then organizations like the City of Boston should WANT<BR/>to make this information available to as many people as possible and<BR/>not just to those who can afford $270/meeting.<BR/><BR/><BR/>_ _ _ _ _ a comment by ... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _<BR/> In the alternative, and consistent with both the letter and the<BR/>spirit of the law, posting this output to the city's website so that<BR/>folks could choose for themselves what they wanted to download and<BR/>print would be acceptable.<BR/><BR/><BR/>_ _ _ _ _ From: <A HREF="Ann.Braga@cityofboston.gov" REL="nofollow">Ann.Braga@cityofboston.gov</A> _ _ _ _ _<BR/> Attached please find the<BR/>City Council's response to your request for information pursuant to<BR/>GL c4 s7 cl.26; GL c66 s10 through 18.<BR/><A HREF="http://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/preidx.htm" REL="nofollow">http://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/preidx.htm</A><BR/><BR/>In your April 24, 2007 request of the City Clerk and stenographer<BR/>Ellen Fritch, you requested the stenographic machine output for the<BR/>City Council meeting of either April 11, 2007 or April 4, 2007.<BR/><BR/>As the department that has the<BR/>contract with the stenographer, I am responding to your request.<BR/><BR/>I have calculated the costs necessary for the copies of the physical<BR/>output of the stenographer's machine (paper tape).<BR/><BR/>To make a photocopy of the machine output takes approximately<BR/>one hour of staff time to copy<BR/>thirty minutes of Council meeting stenographic output.<BR/><BR/>The hourly wage of the<BR/>lowest paid staff person capable of completing this task is<BR/>twenty-five dollars per hour.<BR/><BR/>Each meeting lasted approximately<BR/>three hours, requiring<BR/>six hours of the staff person's time to<BR/>make copies of the original stenographic output, at a total cost of<BR/>$150.00.<BR/><BR/>Additionally, the copies themselves will cost<BR/>$0.20 cents per page at an estimated<BR/>600 pages, totaling<BR/>$120.00.<BR/><BR/>The check would need to be<BR/>made out to "City of Boston" and sent to me.<BR/><BR/><BR/> Please contact me regarding<BR/>whether you will want the copies to be made.<BR/>We will begin processing your request upon receipt of the funds.<BR/>Sincerely,<BR/>Ann Hess Braga, Staff Director<BR/>Boston City Council<BR/><A HREF="http://cityofboston.gov/citycouncil" REL="nofollow">http://cityofboston.gov/citycouncil</A><BR/><A HREF="Ann.Braga@cityofboston.gov" REL="nofollow">Ann.Braga@cityofboston.gov</A><BR/>Ann.Braga at cityofboston.govtheszakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02671109875431805540noreply@blogger.com