NIT – Thirteen days ago, NIT made a public information request to Mason City’s city hall, asking for all the emails that the mayor, council and city administrator received after they requested the public’s guidance when they could not make a decision on changes in fees and personnel in the city’s sanitation department.
(Original press release from city of Mason City, asking the public to make decision on future of sanitation department; not by a formal votes, but by email responses: CLICK HERE)
This was the request that was sent from NIT to city hall officials on February 26, 2015:
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.
This was the response NIT received the next day, on February 27, 2015:
Matt,
I have asked staff to begin the work of gathering these emails and I will let you know when it is completed.
Brent Trout
City Administrator
City of Mason City
On March 11, 2015, NIT received the following email, regarding this public information request:
Mr. Marquardt,
The email responses from citizens regarding the Sanitation options has been compiled and is on disc at our office at City Hall. The document is rather large which is why it is on disc. You can stop by our office during regular City Hall hours to pick up the disc. The cost of the disc is $5.00. It took approximately six hours of staff time to prepare the information but no additional charge beyond the cost of the disc will be assessed.
You will note that the names, email addresses and other personal information as to the identity of the responder has been edited to redact all personal information. Per Iowa law, voluntary communications to a governmental body by a person, not acting in the course of their government employment, are confidential to the extent the identity of the person or other personal information can be determined from the communication.
You may pick the disc up from Deputy Clerk, Diana Black.
Brent Trout
City Administrator
City of Mason City
The following response was sent back to Brent Trout on March 11, 2015, from NIT Publisher Matt Marquardt:
Brent,
Can you please cite the Iowa law you are using to delete / withhold parts of the emails, please?
Was the act of deleting / withholding / doctoring parts of the emails why it took 6 hours of staff time to copy and paste all the emails onto a disc? That should have been a 5 minute job, even if there were 400 emails.
I am confused as to why you and city hall apparently went to these great lengths to hide the identities of the people who sent emails. Why the secrecy? Why can staff and council and mayor read the emails in their entirety but not the public? Who are you trying to protect, and for what reason?
I am further confused as to how writing an email is any different than when a citizen speaks to the council and mayor during a council meeting and is required to give their name and address.
If staff spent 6 hours deleting parts of all these emails, I have to wonder if there is other information that is being withheld and/or deleted so that I cannot publish it.
I will be awaiting your answers before I come to pick up anything from City Hall, and will decide what to do next once you explain your actions.
Matt Marquardt
NorthIowaToday.com Publisher
Im just curious. Nicole, why are you so “pro” Bookmeyer? I mean, its your choice. But it seems no matter what is done at city hall that he is behind, you always stand up for him. He’s got his circle of fans, not saying he doesn’t. But, he’s quite shady and so many people are tired of the way he and the council are running this town.
Codes are up for interpretation on any level or topic where there are “codes”. No worry we all know that is what they did, nothing to do with a SCANDAL and everything to do with good ole fashion lying and covering it up. Real easy to see that.
By the way…Someone has ALL of it before they deleted/covered up. That’s the yummy part!
Read Chapter 22 of the Iowa Code. There is no scandal only scandal mongering.
The thing is, that the council didn’t pay any attention to those e-mails anyway, with one exception. So why did they even ask?
Good point about not everyone having computer accessibility. There is a generation of people that don’t own computers and don’t use them. There’s also the cost factor. I know plenty of younger families that simply cannot afford a computer and the internet services. So yes, the did eliminate alot of people with this.
What Clear Lake did with the secret company was Open Govt.?
This is not about Clear Lake. You don’t even live there anymore (unless you are lying again) so shut up about where we live. Go Away LIAR.
@LVS…I sure hope I’m around the day you finally decide to come out of your shell and tell people how you really feel about them. 🙂 Good job!
Ugh…..Peter, shut up. This has nothing to do with YOU, or Clear Lake. Go away!
This just goes to show you there was some untruthful information passed along by our elected officials about many people voting more then once. If not why hide this information.
Great point.
I would add to your point, what kind of “vote” is sending an email? They automatically dis-enfranchised thousands of people who have no internet access in Mason City. Folks who have no computer access, don’t know how to send an email. Really, their whole idea of asking the public to “send an email” to persuade them one way or another is a huge disgrace and speaks to how lost the mayor, council and their staff are. It speaks to their cowardice, spinelessness. These people should all resign immediately, move back into their mom’s houses, and learn how to be adults with some conviction. Leaders? Hardly. They only do the bidding of their masters on North Federal Avenue.
@Matt-I had not thought of it in those terms. I guess I was excited that they even asked for opinions and din’t think it through. Excellent point.
The emails may have had headers and footers and references in the bodies of the text that entailed reading each email and deleting signatures and contact information. Whenever I write an email to a public official, I include my full name, address, and phone number at the bottom of the body of the email.
I personally am glad that email addresses were omitted. Nobody but the intended recipient needs the email address.
Trout, the mayor and the council are (supposed to be) an extension of the people (they are not, because they are sold out); city hall is (supposed to be) for the public… ALL of the citizens. There is nothing in it that should be off limits to all citizens unless it is connected to an on-going lawsuit somehow. This was not about litigation or some other secret deal. This was about our trash and the sanitation department. Only cowards or someone with something to hide would want their email address and name hidden. Go look in the mirror and see you are one of them.
Wow, name calling. That is very professional of you.
The truth is the truth. If you don’t like it clean up your act.
Well I guess you took a quick glance into your mirror and came up with your answer, didn’t you? I’m sorry you discovered the harsh truth about yourself, but I am glad to have given you the guidance you needed to come to terms with your own short-comings. My next advice to you would be to seek counseling, maybe a shrink can teach you to not fear your own shadow.
Maybe you should take a look in that mirror. I doubt you can notice chicken little staring back at you. You just see a professional storm spotter.
If a person took the time to vote I don’t think they would care if their names were published. The mayor and councilman Hickey made up this side committee and met behind locked doors. Then council members said they would vote along with the results of this online process, when it didn’t go with what the mayor wanted back out on their word. Something stinks here in river city.
Trivia. Who cares. A non starter Matt just being annoying as usual
Call Jesse Ventura.
The attorney general won’t do a thing. The attorney general is for the government. The ombudsman office needs to be notified. That is the state office that is for the people and they investigate governmental offices and issues. I have called there before about certain issues with governmental issues here in Mason City and I’m sure I’m not the only one who has.
Interesting. I wonder what they are trying to hide. I thought all that information was to be available under the freedom of information act. I didn’t know it could be edited to show what the city government wants to show. I think I would refer this to the attorney general’s office.
if it was not disclosed that personal information may be revealed in the original correspondence, they have the choice of either redacting the personal information of non government employees or risk ANOTHER lawsuit that city taxpayers would have to pay for. You can’t have it both ways on this one. Too late.
@Anonymous-You may have me there as I do not know the details of the law. However, it sure seems that all that would have to be done would be to delete the people’s names.
Based on what Trout said, I think that’s what they did. They deleted names and email addresses.
@anonymous-That should cover it then. I do not think they have to disclose identification.
Iowa code 22.7(18)
Another River City smoke screen?
No, another Matt Marquardt / NIT fabricated scandal designed to keep people clicking on his crappy “news” rag, stifle progress in MC, and generally keep MC dumb and infighting. The us against them attitude he cultivates through this website is poisonous to the community.