OPEN GOVERNMENT — The City of Indio has told a former city councilman it will no longer accept public records access requests from him by e-mail, reports the Desert Sun in Palm Springs; the council had scheduled a closed session to discuss a threat of litigation by him, but the session was canceled.
City
Attorney Edward Kotkin said he advised the City Council to forgo that
discussion after he received an e-mail from Wilson shortly before the
meeting indicating no plans to file a lawsuit.
It
was believed Wilson, who lost re-election in November, would file a
civil rights lawsuit against the city based on an assertion he made to
Kotkin, as well as statements made by Wilson in recent interviews with
reporters.
Wilson contends it is unfair for the city to block his e-mails to city employees.
In my mind it's clearly illegal what they've done, Wilson said.
He thinks officials are trying to stop him from filing public records act requests.
Since November, Wilson has submitted numerous e-mails with at least 13 requests for a variety of financial documents.
Wilson last month received a letter from the city's attorney letting
him know his e-mails to city employees, including requests for public
information, were being blocked. Any requests he makes must now be
hand-delivered, sent by mail or faxed.
