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RTK costs paid fully by town could be a costly slippery slope

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©No matter which Milton selectman you think at fault in the brouhaha that led to the board authorizing town money to cover the cost of a review of town computers, what is clear to us is that it shouldn't be solely the town's responsibility to pay for it.

In Maine, if you file a Right to Know request, the town is compelled to spend up to an hour researching the request on their dime. After that the filing individual is on the hook. That, to me, sounds reasonable.

However, in New Hampshire, several sources have told The Lebanon Voice that the town is mandated to pay all the costs.

In fact Thursday's motion to allow the town to spend taxpayer money was to allow, "Attorney (James) Sessler (Town Counsel) to move forward with expenditure of mandated funds to satisfy 91 A (Right to Know) requests."

Those RTK requests were made by former Selectman Tom Gray to produce all emails sent on town computers to or from Selectmen Andy Rawson and Mike Beaulieu dating back to Jan. 1, 2016.

A computer review done last month by a private IT company produced results that were unsatisfactory, Selectman Ryan Thibeault noted during Monday's meeting.

I have filed many Right to Know requests and have been told by officials, even lawyers, that if I don't like the outcome, the matter should be referred to Superior Court where a complaint can be filed.

Normally under those circumstances, the plaintiff would seek court costs and expenses, which they might be awarded if they won the case.

I have asked several town officials if there should be a vetting process to ferret out capricious, whimsical or nonsubstantive Right to Know requests so that these requests don't become a prohibitive burden on taxpayers.

We understand and staunchly defend individuals' rights to inspect public records, however, there should be a balance that takes into account the costs being paid by taxpayers.

Somehow the case in Milton seems to have morphed from a Right to Know request to a full-blown investigation with a special prosecutor.

Almost sounds like Washington.

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