FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
In the Matter of a Complaint by | FINAL DECISION | ||
Misty Williams and Dawn Massey, | |||
Complainants | |||
against | Docket #FIC 2004-476 | ||
Jill Wood, Assistant to Assessor, Town of Branford, |
|||
Respondent | July 27, 2005 | ||
After consideration of the entire record, the following facts are found and conclusions of law are reached:
1. The respondent is a public agency within the meaning of §1-200(1), G.S.
2. It is found that by letters dated September 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, October 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2004, the complainants made twenty requests to the respondent requesting “a certified copy on paper of the town’s record” or “a certified copy on paper of the complete town record” that identifies the individual who inspected/appraised the following properties, and the date such individual inspected the property:
i) 3 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
ii) 18 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
iii) 27 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
iv) 17 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
v) 15 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
vi) 225 Stony Creek Road – inspection for the 2003 Grand
List;
vii) 3 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
viii) 23 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
ix) 7 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
x) 23 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2004 Grand List;
xi) 16 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xii) 11 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xiii) 25 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand
List;
xiv) 13 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xv) 18 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xvi) 17 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xvii) 15 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xviii) 27 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xix) 5 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List; and
xx) 21 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List.
3. It is found that by letters dated September 20, 24, 29, October 5 and 6, 2004, the respondent, through Trista Clyne, Administrative Assistant to the First Selectman, acknowledged receipt of eighteen of the requests, and indicated that the Town of Branford (“town”) would review its records to locate any responsive documents and would notify the complainants accordingly.
4. By letter dated October 12, 2004 and filed on October 15, 2004, the complainants appealed to the Commission alleging that the respondent violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to provide them with the certified records requested. The complainants requested that civil penalties be imposed upon the respondent.
5. It is found that Trista Clyne received all of the records requests, as described in paragraph 2, above, and such requests are the ones at issue in this appeal.
6. Section 1-210(a), G.S., provides that:
Except as otherwise provided by any federal law or state statute, all records maintained or kept on file by any public agency, whether or not such records are required by any law or by any rule or regulation, shall be public records and every person shall have the right to … (3) receive a copy of such records in accordance with section 1-212. [Emphasis added].
7. Section 1-212(a), G.S., further provides that: “[A]ny person applying in writing shall receive, promptly upon request, a plain or certified copy of any public record”.
8. With respect to the requests as described in paragraph 2, above, it is found that as of the date of receipt of such requests the respondent maintained or kept on file at least two records that are responsive to such requests. Those two records constitute public records within the meaning of §§1-210(a) and 1-212(a), G.S., and were identified at the hearing in this matter as Complainants’ Exhibit H (a copy of a field card) and Respondent’s Exhibit 1 (a copy of a list indicating properties Mike Milici was assigned to inspect). Both Complainants’ Exhibit H and Respondent’s Exhibit 1 are responsive to the complainants’ request for records concerning 225 Stony Creek Road and the property inspection for the 2003 Grand List.
9. It is concluded that the respondent violated §§1-210(a) and 1-212(a), G.S., by failing to promptly provide the complainants with a certified copy of Complainants’ Exhibit H and Respondent’s Exhibit 1.
10. With respect to the complainants’ request for records concerning the properties described in paragraph 2, above, except 225 Stony Creek Road, it is unclear from the record whether records responsive to the complainants’ requests exist.
11. Consequently, it is concluded that to the extent the respondent maintains records concerning the properties described in paragraph 2, above (except 225 Stony Creek Road), that are responsive to the complainants’ requests, and have not provided the complainants with a certified copy of such records, the respondent violated §§1-210(a) and 1-212(a), G.S. However, to the extent that no records exist that are responsive to the complainants’ requests, the respondent did not violate §§1-210(a) and 1-212(a), G.S.
12. The complainants’ request to consider the imposition of a civil penalty is denied.
The following order by the Commission is hereby recommended on the basis of the record concerning the above-captioned complaint:
1. The respondent shall:
a) provide the complainants with a certified copy of Complainants’ Exhibit H and Respondent’s Exhibit 1, if such certified copies have not yet been provided;
b) search the town’s records wherever located and provide the
complainants with a certified copy of any additional existing records
found, (including, but not limited to records similar to field cards and
lists such as Complainants’ Exhibit H and Respondent’s Exhibit 1)
whether such records are stored electronically or in paper format,
concerning the following properties, and which records identify in any
way a person(s) or business entity that was either assigned to, or did
inspect the following properties:
i) 3 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
ii) 18 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
iii) 27 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
iv) 17 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
v) 15 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
vi) 3 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
vii) 23 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
viii) 7 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
ix) 23 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2004 Grand List;
x) 16 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xi) 11 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xii) 25 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xiii) 13 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2002 Grand List;
xiv) 18 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xv) 17 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xvi) 15 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xvii) 27 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List;
xviii) 5 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List; and
xix) 21 Sybil Creek Place – inspection for the 2003 Grand List.
2. If no records are found, the respondent shall forthwith, provide the complainants with an affidavit indicating that after a complete and thorough search of the town’s records no records responsive to the complainants’ requests, except Complainants’ Exhibit H and Respondent’s Exhibit 1, were found. Such affidavit shall indicate the nature and extent of the respondent’s search.
Approved by Order of the Freedom of Information Commission at its regular meeting of July 27, 2005.
________________________________
Petrea A. Jones
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:
Misty Williams
225 Stony Creek Road
Branford, CT 06405
Dawn Massey
225 Stony Creek Road
Branford, CT 06405
Jill Wood, Assistant to Assessor,
Town of Branford
c/o Elizabeth P. Gilson, Esq.
383 Orange Street
New Haven, CT 06511
___________________________________
Petrea A. Jones
Acting Clerk of the Commission
FIC/2004-476FD/paj/8/3/2005