Guidelines for requesting Retirement Public Records

Any individual or entity that wishes to access the Westfield Retirement Board’s public records may make request orally or in writing, however the individual or entity requesting access to public records is hereby advised that the Supervisor of Public Records will not entertain any appeal of a denial to produce records unless the request for public records is in written form.  A written request for public records may be delivered to the Board’s Records Access Officer (“RAO”), Liam Browne, by hand, first class mail, electronic mail or by facsimile.  The Board’s RAO may be contacted as follows: Westfield Retirement 59 Court Street, Westfield, MA or liam.browne@cityofwestfield.org. Please be as specific as possible with respect to the type of records you seek, by identifying the document by name or documents that contain the specific information you seek.

The following information may be accessed on the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission’s (“PERAC”) website at www.mass.gov/perac/ :

• Annual Reports
• Appropriation Data
• Audit Report
• Funding Schedules
• Local Options
• Supplemental Regulations
• Most Recent Valuation
• PERAC regulations regarding elections, request for access of personal information, regular compensation and standard rules for disability retirement

In addition to the foregoing, the Board has posted the following documents to the City of Westfield Retirement Board web page that are immediately available for inspection:

• Open session Board minutes
• Board agenda

Upon receipt of your public records request, the RAO will respond to your inquiry within ten (10) business days from the date it is made (orally) or the next business day following the date it is received (if made in writing).  The RAO’s response may be an itemized good faith estimate as to the cost of producing the documents requested, which may include a charge of $.05 per page and an hourly fee not to exceed $25 per hour for the time spent searching for, compiling, segregating, redacting and reproducing a requested record.  If a fee is charged, payment must be made prior to the production of documents.  Once the Board receives the fee, the documents will be produced.  If a fee is assessed, and you demonstrate the lack of financial ability to pay the fee, the RAO has the discretion to waive the fee.

If you are denied access in whole or in part to a record sought, you will be provided with written notice of the denial and your right to appeal the RAO’s decision to the Supervisor of Public Records.  Any such appeal must be filed within 90 days of receiving the RAO’s denial.