By: State Senator Katy Ives – June, 2015 Last week, I testified on a bill I filed, S.1700, An Act Relative to Obtaining Information, before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. This bill promotes access to information, available to all, within a reasonable time frame and for residents to have recourse in […]
On May 1st The Valley Patriot requested of the Town of Salisbury to produce “documents showing the legal cost and all other costs for the town’s multiple lawsuits and legal issues with the Tomaselli sisters from 2005 to present…”. On May 13th, the town responded three days past the ten day requirement set forth by […]
“… what Mayor Lantigua and City Attorney Charlie Boddy are doing is, they are using your public money to hire a law firm out of Boston, to prevent you the public from getting access to documents you already paid for. It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone.” ~ Tom Duggan, Publisher The Valley Patriot […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 8, 2013 What do you call it when the legislature passes a law but they purposely don’t impose any penalties for violating that law? Well if you live in Massachusetts you would call it the Public Records law, or MGL Chapter 66. Now Sate Representative Diana DiZoglio says the first […]
Local Legislators to File Bill Adding Penalties to Public Records Law Violators By: Tom Duggan – October 17, 2012 (2:30pm) TOWN HALL, NORTH ANDOVER, MA During a press conference today endorsing Karin Rhoton for the 14th Essex Rep. seat, Rhoton, Senator Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R) Gloucester, Representative Brad Hill (R) Ipswich, and Representative Brad Jones […]
Attorney Charles Boddy Refuses to Comply, Refuses to Take their Calls In a letter dated October 3, 2012 Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s Supervisor of Records, Attorney Shawn Williams issued an administrative order against Lawrence City Attorney Charles Boddy to turn over public records requested by The Valley Patriot back in February. The documents Boddy is refusing […]
UNBECOMING! 12-07-11 Over the years, embattled School Committee Chairman Chris Allen has worked very hard to help the public school children of North Andover get a better education. But, Allen’s behavior of late has overshadowed much of the good her efforts might have accomplished. First, Allen was engaged in using school department resources (and employees) […]
December, 2012 North Andover School Superintendent Christopher Hottel handed The Valley Patriot a bill for $7,099 to fill a freedom of information request last month. The Valley Patriot had requested copies of all emails, sent and received by members of the school committee and the superintendent covering a 30 day period just prior to and […]
Corruption, Law Breaking, And No Solutions for Troubled City PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: TOM DUGGAN, FEBRUARY 8, 2011 Well, the Willie Lantigua administration celebrated it’s one year anniversary last month and a quick review of his first year in office has proven to be one of the most disastrous years for the […]
Freedom of Information Laws MUST be Respected Valley Patriot Editorial February 5, 2011 Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua seems to think he owns the City of Lawrence. Since taking office in January of 2010, the Boston Herald and The Valley Patriot have reported Lantigua refusing to comply with Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. Those are requests […]
By: Michael Sweeney – March, 2010 You have to wonder when taxpayers are simply going to have enough and demand wholesale change. It appears the limits of taxpayers tolerance is being reached, particularly with the continued Tammany Hall tactics going on in the City of Lawrence. Just imagine how much of your tax dollars […]
Elected officials sending secret messages to each other during public meetings may be illegal Tom Duggan – July, 2008 Last week, Lowell City Councilor and former Lowell Mayor Rita Mercier filed a motion requesting that the council ban the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during council meetings. The motion was filed, Mercier […]