An update, now I hear that the e-mails will be available 12/21. We will see if they are going to be there.
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On 11/29 I get the following from the district:
Chris,
This is an update regarding your Nov. 15, 2006 records request.
On the advice of counsel, we do need to filter the e-mails you requested, because they may include information that is not public.
We can provide you with electronic copies of the e-mails once they are reviewed and redacted as necessary.
I estimate that we can have this project completed for you by 4 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 13.
Thank you for your patience.
11/15 I send the following:
Dan,
Last time you told me you could only provide the e-mails in paper form. The Ohio AG states "You [citizen requesting information] have the right to choose whether you want to receive copies on paper, in the same form as the public office keeps them, or in a different form that the public office can duplicate in its normal operations." So your lawyers saying it is best to give me them in paper format, when I requested the format they were originally sent in (electronically)....well it seems to be bad advice and I hope they don't give out too much of that because you may want to find other lawyers if that is the case.
See: http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/Publications/GeneralPublications/OhioOpen...
Regardless, I am specifically looking at board communication. To save the district effort in going through all e-mails I want to narrow my request (originally sent around 9/15) to e-mail communication from board members sent to the boe@tps.org account. I want all e-mails and attachments sent to the account from board members, this includes when boe@tps.org is the recipient or when it is cc'd or bcc'd. I also want them electronically. I will be happy to pay for a CD or bring the district an "unburned" one to swap. I am also ammending the date from 12/1/05 to 11/10/06. Since board members are well aware that the boe@tps.org account is a public account, you should not need to do any filtering through the e-mails, because they should know better. I do understand some citizens possibly not knowing that the boe@tps.org is public, so if it is limited to board member communication, everyone should be happy.
Please let me know your received this.
I look forward to getting the e-mails.
Chris
11/15 I tell the district I only want e-mail from board members. I get the following response.
Chris,
Linda told me that you called today to modify your records request regarding Board member e-mails.
Would you please put your new request in writing and send it to me (by U.S. Mail, fax, or e-mail) so I can more effectively respond to your request?
Thank you,
11/05 or I told them to hold until I can figure out what I wanted.
On 11/04/06 I sent:
Dan,
Thanks for your reply. Could you write what you were told?
Here is what I remember, let me know if it is correct:
1. You could only give me printed copies.
2. You had to remove emails sent from work accounts as an example of something that is
not public record.
Let me know if I recall our conversation correctly.
Thanks
Chris
On 11/04/06 TPS treasurer wrote:
Hello Chris, Linda Fleitz said you called regarding the BOE e-mail request. Were you wanting to see a legal opinion about the issues I expressed regarding the request? I don't have a written opinion... I only received verbal advice from an attorney through our membership in the Ohio School Boards Association. To get a written legal opinion
would result in some legal fees that I would like to avoid for the District. Let me know what you need. Thanks! Dan
Schedule a meeting to pick it up 10/25. Get there I am told I could not have it because it was not properly vetted. I am told that they would have to go through it piece-by-piece and they could only give me paper copies. I am told that even though it is a public account that some e-mail would need to be filtered, even board member e-mail. I was confused after this so I asked them to put it in writing. I ended up calling to get it explained again. I decided to think about what I needed.
10/19 get another e-mail
but a "glitch" was discovered in the disk that was prepared for you.
Unfortunatley, it won't be ready for you to pick-up until Monday.
Sorry for the continued inconvenience - I truly appreciate your patience.
10/19 got the following e-mail from the district.
Success! The information you requested has been transfered to a cd and is available for you to pick-up in the Treasurer's Office. I do appreciate your patience through this process.
10/12 after followup with status of request. I get the follwoing message from TPS Board Comm
I am so sorry! I thought your request had been taken care...I'm tracking it down now and hope to have an answer soon as to when the information will be available.
9/29 TPS Comm Officer says board leaves message with board sec.
I left a message for Sunny about the status of the emails - its my understanding that she is out of the office today. One of us will contact you on Monday with an update.
9/26 TPS Comm Officer says board secretary is taking care of the request.
I've talked with Linda and Sunny about your request - Sunny is compiling the information.
Seems to be email filter was intercepting all of my messages. I send a fax to TPS a few days later.
No confirmation, so I sent the following 9/19/06.
Dear Linda and Sunny,
I would like to amend my request from yesterday a bit. I would like to request the
e-mails up until yesterday 9/18/06 and to include attachments sent to the BOE account.
I have yet to receive your confirmation of my e-mail I sent yesterday. Did you receive it
or not and when can I expect delivery of the electronic documents? I understand it is not
something that can be produced immediately, but a timeframe would be helpful.
If you need any clarifications, please let me know. I did alert you to doing this over a
month ago and Sunny, you said to send it to you two and if there is someone else I need
to include, please let me know.
Thank you again,
Chris Myers
Original request sent around 9/18/06
Linda and Sunny,
I am requesting a copy of all e-mail sent to the BOE@tps.org account
from 1/1/06 until 8/31/06. I would like the copy in electronic format;
I am not particular on how it is set up or what format it is in.
You could e-mail me the archive or I could bring a CD or pay for a CD
to be burned.
Please let me know you have received this request and if you need any
additional information.
Thank you,
Chris
