Public Records Access Guidelines

Effective January 1, 2017, the Massachusetts Public Records Law, G.L. c.66 and c.4, §7(26) provides that a municipality must, within 10 business days (Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays), respond to a request for records by providing access to or a copy of such records, or explaining any delay or denial.  These guidelines are intended to assist members of the public seeking access to public records in the custody of the Town of Peru.

Super Records Access Officers (“RAO”)
(effective January 1, 2017, designated by the Board of Selectmen)

 

Town Clerk 
Mondays: Daytime By Appt.-Closed Evenings
Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays: By Appt.
Fridays: Closed 
Saturdays :10:30am-12:30pm & By Appt.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             .
Town Administrator
Monday 4:00pm-6:00pm ;  . Contact Town Administrator’s Office for other business hours 
 
Records Access Officers are available to answer questions concerning and help facilitate the making of public records requests.  Contact information for RAOs is also posted on the Town of Peru’s website  and at the Town of Peru’s inside bulletin board 

Public Records Law Information
General information about the public records law and public records requests is found in the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s, “A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law,” March 2020 edition, found online.

Making Public Records Requests
Any person may make a public records request. Click here for details.   

Contact Information
Individuals making in-person requests will not be requested or required to give their names or contact information.  For in-person requests that require additional time for a comprehensive response, requesters will be advised to check in periodically with the RAO or department from which records are sought, or requesters may voluntarily provide contact information.  Voluntary Public Records Request Forms shall be available in all municipal offices. 

Specificity of Requests
To facilitate timely responses to public records requests, requests should be as specific as possible, detailing, if known, records custodian(s), and date and subject matter parameters.  The more specific the request, the better able the Town of Peru will be to respond, as broad requests often require more extensive staff efforts to locate, review and copy all possibly responsive records.  

Receipt of Requests
 Written requests received during normal business hours,  as defined in paragraph 1, above, will be considered received on that date.  Written requests sent via email or facsimile after normal business hours shall not be considered received until the following business day.  Business days shall not include Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

Purpose of Request
The RAO will not ask a requester to identify the purpose of the request, but may ask for more information to assist the requester to make an appropriate request and/or to enable the RAO to respond more efficiently.  

Details