News

Scarborough schools' fee for public records exceeds legal cap

12.15.2011
SCARBOROUGH — The School Department's policies on public access are illegal under state law, according to one attorney and a representative of the Society of Professional Journalists.
 
Fees associated with records requests from the School Department exceed the state limit, said Sigmund Schutz, an attorney with Preti Flaherty in Portland and a director of the New England First Amendment Coalition.
 
The School Board was scheduled to consider a proposal to substantially increase the fees at its meeting Thursday night, but board members removed the item from the agenda Wednesday after being questioned about it by The Forecaster.
 
The existing policy uses a tiered fee structure for public records of $10-$30 per hour for fulfilling a records request; fees are smallest for clerical staff work and largest for time spent by the superintendent of schools.

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