To: CitiznNews@aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:14:26 EDT
Subject: letter to the editor
OPEN GOVERNMENT VS LOCAL OFFICIALS
The rights of citizens to live and operate under an open government, is the foundation of our democracy. The Freedom of Information Act was created to ensure that right for any citizen who wants to know how their government, and especially its officials, are doing their job.
To be clear-----Every citizen has the following right: To go into any public government building, and look at almost any public document. They do not have to fill out a form. They do not have to give their name. They do not have to give a reason why. They do not have to wait 4 days to look at those documents. They do not need permission from anyone to look at those documents. If that official does not have the documents in their possession, it is their responsibility to refer the person to the correct department. The officials may not keep public records in their private possession or in a place inaccessible to the public. All of this is to be done “promptly.” Any attempt on the part of our officials to deny any citizen this democratic right of access to public documents is illegal and should never be excused. When one is trying to look at documents because the Selectman refuses to answer questions, and that Selectman deliberately delays, and obstructs that process to the point that it becomes necessary to file a complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission, it should never be labeled “trivial” as asserted by Mr. Hodge and some of his followers. A secret, closed form of government is a dangerous thing. The belief of Mr.Hodge that the citizens of New Fairfield do not have the right to know what he is doing, and how he is doing it, is against the law. The belief in the right of access to public documents certainly is not “trivial.” The Freedom of Information Commission, fed up with Mr. Hodge’s continued use of his misleading and misused “required FOI form”, his behavior, refusals, denials, obstructions, delays and excuses, imposed a personal civil penalty on him for this behavior, and certainly did not consider these complaints against him “trivial” One only has to go to their website to see that this is an action rarely taken by the Commission, and only in cases they consider the most egregious. Hodge's actions and violations were not “trivial” to the Commissioners. Neither should any complaint by a citizen, denied the right to know how an official is conducting town business, be considered “trivial” by any of us.
So, the next time you try and ask Hodge a question, and he refuses to answer you, remember that you can always walk into the office at Town Hall and ask to see the records. It’s the law and your right. You have the right to know how your government and its officials are acting and what they are doing.
Please visit the following website to know your rights as a citizen to an open government. FOI@PO.STATE.CT.US.
thank you
jody gemmell
746-5891
