FROM: Matt Marquardt <northiowatoday@gmail.com>
TO: Brent Trout <btrout@masoncity.net>,
Council Member Alex Kuhn <atlargea@masoncity.net>,
Council Member Scott Tornquist <tornquistatlarge@masoncity.net>,
mayor@masoncity.net,
Council Member John Lee <WardOne@masoncity.net>,
Council Member Janet Solberg <wardfour@masoncity.net>,
Council Member Travis Hickey <wardtwo@masoncity.net>,
Council Member Jean Marinos <wardthree@masoncity.net>
DATE: Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 3:01 PM
SUBJECT: SANITATION EMAILS
Good afternoon.
I’d like to make a public records request.
I’d like all the emails released to me that the city received regarding the proposed changes in fees and personnel in the sanitation department. This request is in connection to the city’s press release that was sent in January of this year, as the council and mayor struggled to lead the community during the budget process when faced with an issue in the Sanitation Department. They asked the public to do the job of elected leaders and decide the fate of city employees and sanitation fees and/or rates in offering 4 options to choose from in a press release. You directed all feedback to be sent to mayorcouncil@masoncity.net.
Apparently, the decision arrived at by our elected leaders to “maintain service” was derived from these emails.
I’d like to see all these emails, in their entirety. Perhaps they can be released electronically, since they exist in that format currently. I am happy to pay for a CD that contains all these emails.
I await your response.
Matt Marquardt
NorthIowaToday.com Publisher
11 thoughts on “NIT makes formal request to see emails from public regarding sanitation department”
When I told them my opinion they said that it had already been ruled out and to choose another.
Hey Matt-did you get any response yet?
Hopefully you will get and publish the results. This council asked for public input then ignored the results. The same thing is happening with the downtown civic center the public stated they did not want to pay for it and the results from a survey shows most of these centers are money losers so our mayor and council found a way around public opinion and will put the taxpayers on the hook for many years to come.
@rukidding-good post. Exactly my point.
Kuhn will respond, right now I feel hes the only one with balls to stand up to the drunken major.
I did get a response right away from Mr. Kuhn. He indicated that the emails would be released.
@Matt-I have had a response from Tornquist and Kuhn. Of course my councilman Hickey never bothered to respond and neither did the mayor.
Good Luck getting the e-mails Matt. From what I was told the majority went for option #1. Of course that was not what they went for on the council. It was nothing but a smoke screen to cover what they had already decided.
Open records law should be clear here. Of course this is Mason City, some kid of Bizarro World where the creeps run everything and the common people are bulldozed. We’ll see if any shenanigans are attempted.
So what’s your plan if they pull a Micich on you, i. e. ignore your request?
If I am ignored, I would have many options at my disposal. Some, they would like much less than others. I’ll cross that bridge if it should arise.