20160408-01_Lovell-Kelly
From: Molly Lovell [mailto:editor@inthecourier.com]
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 12:09 PM
To: Bennett, James; Casavant, Alan
Subject: Request
Dear City Manager James Bennett,
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
I request that documents containing the following information be provided to me: All emails or letters sent to or from Alan Casavant regarding the "healing committee" from March 31, 2016, to April 8, 2016; all emails or letters sent to or from the Department of Justice regarding this committee in this time period; and all emails or letters sent among committee members regarding this committee during this time period.
In order to help to determine my status to assess fees, you should know that I am a representative of the news media affiliated with the Courier newspaper and this request is made as part of news gathering and not for a commercial use.
I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Molly Lovell-Keely
Courier newspaper
PO Box 1894
Biddeford, ME, 04005
282-4337
City Response 1
Molly,
The City does not consider the committee you have identified as a city committee. Since I been here, the city has taken the following actions regarding official city committees:
Have the creation of the committee authorized publicly during a City Council meeting
Have the members appointed (and the method of how they will be appointed) identified at the time the committee is discussed and authorized by the Council
Usually had the members set up with an official city email address
Not of these steps occurred. Beyond the emails to and from the Mayor, the city is not, nor has it been in position of emails to and among any members of the committee.
In the previous FOIA, we believe we have provided you all of the emails between the Mayor and the Department of Justice. We do not believe there are any letters or other correspondents but will double check to be sure. We will advise you if we find any.
Beyond the search of the letters, we believe this closes this FIOA request.
James A. Bennett, ICMA-CM
City Manager
Biddeford, Maine
City Response
Molly,
I have confirmed with the Mayor that all communication with the DOJ representatives were done electronically through email. There is not additional documents in the City’s possession.
James A. Bennett, ICMA-CM
City Manager
Biddeford, Maine
Phone 207.284.9313
FAX 207.571.0678
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BiddMECityMgr
www.biddefordmaine.org
Under Maine's Freedom of Access ('Right to Know") law, all email and email attachements received or prepared for matters concerning City business are likely to be regarded as public records which may be inspected by any person upon request, unless otherwise made confidential by law. If you have received this message in error, please notify this office immediately by return email. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
City of Biddeford, Maine
City Response 2
Molly,
Here is the order for the creation of the Mayor’s task force. As you can see from the Council order, it was created and authorized in January 2015.
James A. Bennett, ICMA-CM
City Manager
Biddeford, Maine
Phone 207.284.9313
FAX 207.571.0678
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BiddMECityMgr
www.biddefordmaine.org
Under Maine's Freedom of Access ('Right to Know") law, all email and email attachements received or prepared for matters concerning City business are likely to be regarded as public records which may be inspected by any person upon request, unless otherwise made confidential by law. If you have received this message in error, please notify this office immediately by return email. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
City of Biddeford, Maine