The City of Pottsville has been ordered to turn over financial disclosure records sought in a Right to Know Law submission.
According to information from the state Office of Open Records, on June 4, Frank Curry and FOIA Buddy filed a RTK request looking for “financial disclosure statements for all current city representatives or department heads for the past three years, highlighting any reported campaign contributions from engineers or attorneys for the past three years.”
A week later, the City government denied that request for two reasons:
- First, it said the records sought contained personal identification information.
- And the City also said that it does not handle any campaign contributions and has no knowledge of them.
The City’s denial was appealed to the state’s Open Records office, which has found in favor of Curry and FOIA Buddy.
Curry and FOIA Buddy say the records sought should be public record under the state’s Ethics Act. They also sought to impose a $1,500 fine on Pottsville for failing to comply with the RTK law.
OOR says it can not impose a civil penalty. However, it is ordering Pottsville to hand over the records sought in the original request.
Pottsville tried to appeal to the OOR, submitting an affidavit from its Open Records Officer, Rebecca Trefsger, affirming its original stance.
Regardless, OOR Appeals Officer Angela Edris says in the agency’s finding that, “Statements of Financial Interests created pursuant to the Ethics Act are public records subject to disclosure in their entirety. The Ethics Act unconditionally establishes the public nature of Statements of Financial Interests and the RTKL’s
exemptions do not apply. Statements of Financial Interests filed pursuant to the Ethics Act are subject to public access in their entirety, without redaction.”
Pottsville has 30 days to furnish the records requested or file an appeal of the OOR ruling with the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...
Laura kryzanowski
July 14, 2024 at 3:19 pm
The object behind Pottsville’s habitual causing of automatic extensions, denials and unreasonable delays to requesters seeking the releasing of public records is designed to protect government employees and the city government from scrutiny, discourage requests and frustrate through excessive and unnecessary paperwork. City solicitor Pellish knows about redaction and is able to advise Chief City code’s officers wife, Rebecca, City RTK officer, on the legality of each request. Palamar, in charge of day to day operations Ian the code and Pellish knowingly roll the dice that who they are dealing with is ignorant.
Laura Kryzanowski
July 14, 2024 at 4:45 pm
City of Pottsville’s Right-to-Know tactics are in line with the city’s putting “No trespassing” signs on cityhall, a public building; to now require taxpayers to be escorted to an office then promptly escorted out of the building, albeit, often not having an escort available so that the taxpayer is unreasonably delayed or required to return another day. This appeared to be a Gang of Four “policy” promoted by democrats Palamar Atkinson Botto and Pelish .
Tom
July 15, 2024 at 8:59 am
Sounds like the City of Pottsville and County of Schuylkill are up to the same tricks. What are they trying to hide?