Anna Cowin, elected lame duck Superintendent of Lake County Schools is at it again.
She has declared that public information requests for the $742-million District be run by her for approval because recent ones have cost a total of $8000 (out of the $742-million budget).
Below is the Daily Commercial article on the issue and how two of the Board members have submitted requests and are encountering delays. It seems strange that an elected Board member must file a formal public records request to get info, but I agree, they shouldn't have to pay for it.
vj
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from:
http://www.dailycommercial.com/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=162&ArticleID=23573&TM=75384.7
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Cowin, board squabble over records
Lame-duck superintendent exerts control over who gets what information and when
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Like the press or the public, board members are subject to service charges for their requests unless it's approved by the board, according to Cowin's new policy.
The Lake County School District has seen a flood of public records requests lately.
"Recently, this office has had several, voluminous and time- consuming requests for documents and information from individual members of the school board, as well as the press and public," Cowin wrote in the memo. "I'm afraid that if we keep responding to these requests as we are presently doing, our ability to perform our statutory obligations to the district will suffer."
Cowin estimates recent requests took more than 261 hours of staff time which has cost the district more than $8,000.
Many board members think Cowin's efforts to control public records requests could further hinder the superintendent's relationship with the board.
"I was really taken aback by the seeming reluctance to cooperate with board members on their public records request(s)," said Chairman Larry Metz. "I think we need to get information when we ask for it, in a timely manner. We need to have the free flow of information."
Board member Cindy Barrow requested nearly a dozen records, such as travel expenses, vehicle mileage, fuel costs and personnel files from the Title Services Department. The department is responsible for giving money to schools with students from predominantly low-income families.
Barrow said as a board member she shouldn't have to pay for a records request. She said she would get board approval for all her requests.
"It's absurd," said Barrow. "It's the ultimate run- around."
Metz has also asked members of Cowin's leadership team for public communications records for the entire district. Metz wants to eliminate unnecessary communications devices. The District spends $15,000 to $16,000 a month on communications equipment, such as Blackberries, cell phones and two-way radios.
Metz said he hoped the board and superintendent could loosen up the demands in the memo.
"We're not trying to operate in a vacuum," Metz said.
