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Mendon reviews records retention, redaction rules and FOIL handling
Summary
The board discussed which personal details should be redacted from published materials, how FOIL requests should be handled, and whether the town clerk or records officer should maintain final posting authority; members asked the attorney to clarify redaction standards and FOIL appeals procedures.
The board examined the draft records-retention and FOIL section of the policy manual and debated what kinds of personal data must be redacted versus what must remain public for taxation and land-use purposes. The Chair noted that some information (for example, property addresses in planning files) must remain public, while personally sensitive data should be redacted unless required by law.
Members discussed process details: who handles initial FOIL requests (Michelle or the town clerk), whether FOIL responses should be posted via a web link rather than emailed, and whether the town should designate an appeals reviewer other than the initial RAO. A board member suggested attorney approval for redactions not listed explicitly in the draft. The board asked staff to reconcile cross-references between the records, procurement, and personnel policies and to clarify which officer is the official RAO for FOIL requests.
