The Complainant alleged the West Warwick Town Council ("Town Council") violated the OMA when it discussed items at a meeting that were not noticed on the agenda. More specifically, the Complainant alleged that numerous topics were discussed under the agenda item entitled "Ward Reports." Based on...
The Complainant alleged that the NFD violated the OMA through improper supplemental notice for the September 27, 2018 meeting, claiming that one of the agenda items was vague. The complaint only included the first four words of the agenda item. Upon review of the full agenda item, we found it...
The City of Cranston Building Department violated the APRA by failing to timely respond to two APRA requests hand-delivered on February 5, 2018. The City subsequently provided the complainant with documents and although the complainant alleged that other responsive documents were withheld by the...
The Town of Foster Board of Review did not violate the OMA because the evidence demonstrated that a record of the individual vote of its members was available to the public within two (2) weeks of the vote. See R.I. Gen. Laws 42-46-7(b)(1). Also, the Board's unofficial minutes were timely posted...
The Complainant alleged that the Police Department violated the APRA when it withheld a requested arrest report pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-1-12 and R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-2(4)(D)(c). We noted that a 1984 letter from then-Attorney General Dennis J. Roberts to then-Superintendent of the Rhode...
The Providence Board of Licenses ("Board") sought an Open Meetings Act ("OMA") Advisory Opinion from this Department concerning whether the Board may meet in executive session for deliberation during or at the conclusion of the presentation of evidence in a show-cause hearing. We found no...
The Town of Lincoln violated the APRA when it failed to respond to the Complainant's APRA request within ten (10) business days. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-7. As the Complainant was in possession of the responsive documents, injunctive relief was not appropriate. Based upon the specific facts,...
The Complainant alleged the Department of Environmental Management ("DEM") violated the Access to Public Records Act ("APRA") when the Complainant requested copies of certain written conservation management plans for farmland property and DEM provided four written conservation plans but did not...
Complainant alleged that the RISCA violated the APRA when it produced information responsive to his request but redacted information concerning the "Anticipated Amount of Motion Picture Tax Credit" pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-2(4)(B). We observed that another statute – R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 44-31.
The Davies Career and Technical High School ("School") violated the OMA when it convened into executive session pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(1), yet did not discuss any person's job performance, character, or physical or mental health. Rather, the School's discussion centered on the...
