The above-captioned matter was heard as a contested case on February 10, 1999 at which time the complainant and the respondents appeared, stipulated to certain facts and presented testimony, exhibits and argument on the complaint.

        After consideration of the entire record, the following facts are found and conclusions of law are reached:

        1. The respondent mayor is a public agency within the meaning of § 1-200(1), G.S., (formerly § 1-18a(1), G.S.).

        2. It is found that by letter dated November 13, 1998, the complainant requested that the City of Stamford ("city") provide him with records relating to any federal grant or loan funds provided to the city, which in turn was provided to the Ferguson Library (hereinafter "requested records").

        3. It is found that by letter dated November 25, 1998 the city’s legal affairs office informed the complainant that 27 pages of records were available at a cost of fifty cents per page.

        4. Following further inquiry by the complainant concerning his November 13, 1998 request, the city’s legal affairs office informed the complainant that "according to the Director of the Grants Office, the city of Stamford receives no federal grants for the Ferguson Library."

        5. The complainant then, by letter dated December 10, 1998 and filed on December 14, 1998, appealed to the Commission alleging that the respondents violated the Freedom of Information Act ("FOI") by denying him access to inspect and copy the requested records.

        6. It is found that the respondents do not have any federal grant or loan records responsive to the complainant’s request, described in paragraph 2, above.

        7. Consequently, it is concluded that the respondents did not violate § 1-210(a), G.S., (formerly § 1-19(a), G.S.), as alleged in the complaint.

        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 May 12, 1999.

_________________________

Melanie R. Balfour

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:

Mark P. Carey
205 Main Street
Westport, CT 06880
Mayor, City of Stamford;
and City of Stamford
c/o Atty. Barry J. Boodman
Assistant Corporation Counsel
888 Washington Boulevard
PO Box 10152
Stamford, CT 06904-2152

__________________________

Melanie R. Balfour

Acting Clerk of the Commission

FIC1998-383FD/mrb/05201999