FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION

                                                OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 

 

 

In the Matter of a Complaint by                                                FINAL DECISION

 

Berlin Board of Ethics,

 

                        Complainant

 

            against                                                                          Docket #FIC 1997-181

 

Superintendent of Schools, Berlin Public Schools;

and Board of Education, Town of Berlin

 

                        Respondents                                                     December 10, 1997

 

 

            The above-captioned matter was heard as a contested case on October 9, 1997 and was scheduled for a continued hearing on November 10, 1997, at which times the complainant and the respondents appeared in order to present testimony, exhibits and argument on the complaint.

 

            At an informal conference prior to the November 10, 1997 hearing, the complainant and the respondents reached the terms of an agreement in resolution of this contested case, wherein the parties agreed as follows:

 

                        a)  while the minutes of respondents’ April 28, 1997 meeting did not indicate that Richard Paskiewicz, Joseph P. Czerbinski, Suzanne Weber, Kathryn Bryers and Ms. Chris Chinni, Esquire had attended an executive session held on that date, this omission from the minutes was inadvertant and was corrected by the respondents on September 8, 1997;

 

                        b)  the complainant requested copies of certain public records on May 15, 1997, and the respondents’ provided copies of such records on July 2, 1997. The respondents acknowledge that they should have attempted to provide the requested records more promptly.

 

The respondents agree that henceforth they will comply with the letter and the spirit of all aspects of the Freedom of Information Act, including the provisions relating to prompt responses to requests for copies of public records. Based upon this agreement and the respondents’ assurances that the agreement would be followed, the complainant informed the Commission that it wished to withdraw its complaint in this matter.

 

            The Commission warmly commends both the complainant and the respondents for working successfully to negotiate a non-litigated settlement of their earlier differences.

 

            The following order by the Commission is hereby recommended on the basis of the record concerning the above-captioned complaint:

 

            1.  The complaint is hereby dismissed.

 

 

 

                            Approved by Order of the Freedom of Information Commission at its regular meeting of December 10, 1997.

 

 

 

 

 

_________________________

Doris V. Luetjen

Acting Clerk of the Commission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 4-180(c), G.S., THE FOLLOWING ARE THE NAMES OF EACH PARTY AND THE MOST RECENT MAILING ADDRESS, PROVIDED TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION, OF THE PARTIES OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE.

 

THE PARTIES TO THIS CONTESTED CASE ARE:

 

Berlin Board of Ethics

c/o Stephen J. Anderson

136 West Main Street

P.O. Box 2950

New Britain, CT 06050

 

Superintendent of Schools, Berlin Public Schools;

and Board of Education, Town of Berlin

c/o Richard A. Mills

Shipman and Goodwin

One American Row

Hartford, CT 06103

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________

Doris V. Luetjen

Acting Clerk of the Commission

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIC1997-171/FD/tcg/12101997