"If I call someone at Water & Sewer and ask them a question, they are obligated to call your office or report that Robbie Perkins has talked to them and give the subject."The acting city manager replied, "It's typically email."
I made a records request for all emails reporting Mayor Perkins' contacts with staff since he took office. I received two from December. None for January. Either Mayor Perkins has only had two conversations with city staff in two months or he was mistaken that an alternate public record is available.
Council voted to rescind a policy that had made the actions of city council public and transparent based, at least in part, on an illegitimate expectation. Will this just fall to the wayside as so much lip service or will council institute a policy that corrects their move towards secrecy?
6 comments:
I do not like elected officials going back door to talk or avoiding the public.
Secrecy is anathema to democracy, to effectiveness, to honesty, and to ethical behavior
Secrecy is the enemy of democracy
The lies never end when secrets are kept.
Requesting records still mostly depends on the integrity of the individuals involved. How does one know that all the records have been released? My one and only request was because the email was mentioned by the elected official in a scheduled and public meeting. But getting it was neither fast nor easy. The law specifies that the person requesting does not have to justify or explain the request nor furnish identity.
Anon, that's true. I've never heard of anyone getting even a slap on the wrist for withholding records, although the law was changed recently to make government employees financially responsible for the legal costs incurred by someone who has to sue to get illegally withheld records.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
There are some good points here about asking for records and getting all the records. The longer a request takes then the more time they have to look over the material and take out something, sounds like Nixon, kidding.
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