From Daily Herald: Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer announced Monday that Freedom of Information requests are costing the city so much that he has ordered the names of all requesters and what they asked for posted on the city’s website.
The list is under City Services>Administration>FOIA on the city’s website, prospect-heights.il.us. The city charged the Water Fund $3,452 for FOIA processing in August, although it was not clear what period that covered.
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From News-Gazette.com: An Illinois appellate court has sided with The News-Gazette and ruled that the city of Champaign turn over to reporter Patrick Wade copies of electronic communications sent and received by city council members during council meetings and study sessions in May, June and July 2011.
But the same three-member court overturned a ruling by Sangamon County Judge John Schmidt that The News-Gazette's attorney was entitled to $7,500 in attorney fees and costs from the city.
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Read More… from Ruling requires Champaign to turn over records, denies lawyer pay
From NFOIC: A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week.
While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
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From News-Gazette.com: City Attorney Fred Stavins said on Tuesday night that the city does not plan to appeal an appellate court's decision that it must turn over text messages to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request The News-Gazette filed in 2011.
Stavins said there are "very few documents" to produce, but the city will comply with a ruling that text messages sent and received on a council member's private device during a city council meeting are public records.
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Read More… from Champaign won’t make further appeals of FOIA ruling
From NewsRadio WTAX: A man suing the city for the release of internal police files has won — again.
Calvin Christian sued the city to release internal affairs files regarding a 2011 request. Sangamon County Circuit Judge John Schmidt ruled the city could not keep secret police documents, other than to redact names, birthdates, social security numbers and other personal information. Video interviews, the judge ruled, must be transcribed and redacted accordingly.
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From pjstar.com: The Illinois Press Association has come out in opposition to concealed-carry legislation the General Assembly approved last week on the grounds that a newly created licensing review board’s exemption from the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings acts is unwarranted.
“The rationale is simple. There should not be secret government,” said Don Craven, attorney for the association.
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Read More… from llinois Press Association opposes public records exemption in concealed carry bill
