FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OVERVIEW

CITY OF ANSONIA
BOARDS and COMMISSIONS
Ira W. Bloom, Esq.
BERCHEM, MOSES & DEVLIN, P.C.
1221 Post Road East
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8o9: P. Mar2:2, Esq.
BERCHEM, MOSES & DEVLIN, P.C.
(+ Broad Street
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I. E-MAILS AND VOICE MAIL
O: /r2l 1,, 2"",, t9e .reedom o; I:;ormat2o: Comm2ss2o: %?.OIC@' 2ssAed a
dra;t ?Proosed De7laratorB RAl2:C 1*, %Ema2l a:d Vo27e Ma2l'@ 2:7lAd2:C
rete:t2o: ol272es %?Reort@'. It met 62t9 so mA79 res2sta:7e 2: Hart;ord t9at 2t
6as :eDer 2ssAed 2: ;2:al ;orm. !9e ol2t27al Dolat2l2tB o; t9e 2ssAe 7a: 4e
are72ated, 2: art, 4B t9e a7t2o: o; EoDer:or Rell o: 8AlB 11, 2""+ 69e: s9e
Detoed leC2slat2o: 69279 attemted to s92eld ema2ls ;rom a:d to leC2slators a:d
t9e2r emloBees ;rom d2s7losAre A:der t9e .OI /7t %HoAse B2ll #((,'.
No:et9eless, 2t 2s 9el;Al to 7o:s2der t9e a:alBs2s 7o:ta2:ed 2: t9e Reort 69e:
7o:s2der2:C 9o6 /:so:2a m2C9t address t9e 2ssAes.
!9e reort 2de:t2;2ed ;oAr 2ssAes ;or atte:t2o:. !9ese 2ssAes a:d t9e os2ted
reso:ses ;ollo63
/. /re e)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l 7ommA:27at2o:s A4l27 re7ordsF
/NSWER3 I; t9eB relate to ?t9e 7o:dA7t o; t9e A4l27Gs 4As2:ess,@ t9eB
7o:st2tAte A4l27 re7ords.
?HPA4l27 re7ords or ;2lesG mea:s a:B re7orded data or 2:;ormat2o:
relat2:C to t9e 7o:dA7t o; t9e A4l27Is 4As2:ess reared, o6:ed, Ased,
re7e2Ded or reta2:ed 4B a A4l27 aCe:7B, or to 69279 a A4l27 aCe:7B 2s
e:t2tled to re7e2De a 7oB 4B la6 or 7o:tra7t A:der se7t2o: 1)21$,
69et9er sA79 data or 2:;ormat2o: 4e 9a:d6r2tte:, tBed, tae)re7orded,
r2:ted, 9otostated, 9otoCra9ed or re7orded 4B a:B ot9er met9od.@
C.E.S./. J 1)2"".
B. Do e)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l 7ommA:27at2o:s :eed to 4e reta2:edF
/NSWER3 / qAal2;2ed ?Bes@ ;or a d2s7reet er2od or erma:e:tlB
dee:d2:C o: 7o:te:t. E)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l
7ommA:27at2o:s ;rom state emloBees 69279 9aDe
adm2:2strat2De, ;2s7al, leCal or 92stor27al DalAe s9oAld :ot 4e
destroBed 62t9oAt re;ere:7e to C.E.S./. J 11)$a%7' 69279
7o:ta2:s CA2del2:es ;or d2sos2t2o:. !9e C2tB m2C9t
7o:s2der esta4l2s92:C CA2del2:es ;or rete:t2o: er2ods.
!9e O;;27e o; PA4l27 Re7ords /dm2:2strator %?PR/@' 9as 6r2tte:
%Ee:eral Letter *$)1, 8A:e 1, 1**$' t9at e)ma2ls Ce:eral ;all 62t92:
t9ree 4road 7ateCor2es3 tra:s2torB messaCes, 2.e., 7asAalKroAt2:e
7ommA:27at2o:s s2m2lar to tele9o:e 7o:Dersat2o:s %maB 4e
2mmed2atelB deleted'- ema2ls 62t9 less t9a: erma:e:t rete:t2o: er2od
%reta2:ed 2: a77orda:7e 62t9 esta4l2s9ed ol27B'- a:d ema2ls 62t9 a
erma:e:t or erma:e:tKar792Dal rete:t2o: er2od %reta2:ed 2: 9ard
7oB'. !9e PR/ 7o:7lAded t9at Do27e ma2l 2s ?tra:s2torB 2: :atAre.@
Most maB 4e deleted at 62ll A:less t9e messaCe ?maB 4e ote:t2allB
Ased as eD2de:7e 2: a tr2al, sA79 as a 4om4 t9reat, or 2: some ot9er
2lleCal a7t2D2tB.@
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C. Is t9e A4l27 e:t2tled to a77ess e)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l 7ommA:27at2o:s Ao:
reqAestF
/NSWER3 Les, to t9e same eMte:t as a:B ot9er A4l27 re7ord.
D. Do e)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l 7ommA:27at2o:s 7o:st2tAte a meet2:C A:der t9e .OI
/7tF
/NSWER3 Les, 2; d2str24Ated amo:C a qAorAm o; t9e 4odB a:d related
to a matter oDer 69279 t9e 4odB 9as sAerD2s2o:,
<Ar2sd27t2o:, 7o:trol or adD2sorB o6er.
?HMeet2:CG mea:s a:B 9ear2:C or ot9er ro7eed2:C o; a A4l27 aCe:7B,
a:B 7o:De:2:C or assem4lB o; a qAorAm o; a mAlt2mem4er A4l27
aCe:7B, a:d a:B 7ommA:27at2o: 4B or to a qAorAm o; a mAlt2mem4er
A4l27 aCe:7B, whether in person or by means of electronic equipment,
to d2s7Ass or a7t Ao: a matter oDer 69279 t9e A4l27 aCe:7B 9as
sAerD2s2o:, 7o:trol, <Ar2sd27t2o: or adD2sorB o6er. HMeet2:CG does :ot
2:7lAde3 /:B meet2:C o; a erso::el sear79 7omm2ttee ;or eMe7At2De
leDel emloBme:t 7a:d2dates- a:B 79a:7e meet2:C, or a so72al meet2:C
:e2t9er la::ed :or 2:te:ded ;or t9e Arose o; d2s7Ass2:C matters
relat2:C to o;;272al 4As2:ess- strateCB or :eCot2at2o:s 62t9 rese7t to
7olle7t2De 4arCa2:2:C- a 7aA7As o; mem4ers o; a s2:Cle ol2t27al artB
:ot62t9sta:d2:C t9at sA79 mem4ers also 7o:st2tAte a qAorAm o; a A4l27
aCe:7B- a: adm2:2strat2De or sta;; meet2:C o; a s2:Cle)mem4er A4l27
aCe:7B- a:d 7ommA:27at2o: l2m2ted to :ot27e o; meet2:Cs o; a:B A4l27
aCe:7B or t9e aCe:das t9ereo;. / qAorAm o; t9e mem4ers o; a A4l27
aCe:7B 69o are rese:t at a:B eDe:t 69279 9as 4ee: :ot27ed a:d
7o:dA7ted as a meet2:C o; a:ot9er A4l27 aCe:7B A:der t9e roD2s2o:s
o; t9e .reedom o; I:;ormat2o: /7t s9all :ot 4e deemed to 4e 9old2:C a
meet2:C o; t9e A4l27 aCe:7B o; 69279 t9eB are mem4ers as a resAlt o;
t9e2r rese:7e at sA79 eDe:t.@ C.E.S./. J 1)2""%2'. Nem9as2s addedO
E. I; e)ma2l a:d Do27e ma2l 7ommA:27at2o:s 7o:st2tAte a A4l27 meet2:C, 2t 2s
oss24le to 7o:dA7t sA79 a meet2:C 2: a ma::er t9at 7oml2es 62t9 t9e .OI
/7tF
/NSWER3 Les, 2; t9e meet2:C 2s 7o:dA7ted 2: a ma::er t9at 7omorts
62t9 t9e oe: meet2:C reqA2reme:ts o; t9e .OI /7t.
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
C.E.S./. J 1)2"+%;' roD2des t9at mA:272al2t2es maB adot a: ord2:a:7e
7o:7er:2:C t9e esta4l2s9me:t o; a ?mA:272al ;reedom o; 2:;ormat2o: adD2sorB
4oard to ;a72l2tate t9e 2:;ormed a:d e;;272e:t eM79a:Ce o; 2:;ormat2o: 4et6ee: t9e
7omm2ss2o: a:d sA79 mA:272al2tB.@ I; esta4l2s9ed, t9e Board 2s 79arCed to a7t as
a ?l2a2so: to t9e .OI Comm2ss2o: ;or edA7at2o:al Aroses@ a:d 62t9 roD2d2:C
mA:272al o;;272als, emloBees a:d ot9ers 62t9 2:;ormat2o: related to t9e .OI /7t
a:d 2ts 2:terretat2o:. /lt9oAC9 t9e Board ?maB attemt to ;a72l2tate t9e
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resolAt2o: o;...d2sAtes,@ 2t does :ot 9aDe ad<Ad27atorB aAt9or2tB a:d 7a::ot
?2mede@ t9e ;2l2:C o; a: aeal to t9e .OIC.
II. MEETINGS
/. W9at 2s a meet2:CF
1. /s :oted a4oDe, a ?meet2:C@ mea:s a 9ear2:C or ot9er ro7eed2:C
o; a A4l27 aCe:7B, a:B 7o:De:2:C or assem4lB o; a qAorAm o; a
mAlt2mem4er A4l27 aCe:7B, a:d a:B 7ommA:27at2o: 4B or to a
qAorAm o; a mAlt2mem4er A4l27 aCe:7B, 69et9er 2: erso: or 4B
mea:s o; ele7tro:27 eqA2me:t, to d2s7Ass or a7t Ao: a matter oDer
69279 t9e A4l27 aCe:7B 9as sAerD2s2o:, 7o:trol, <Ar2sd27t2o: or
adD2sorB o6er. %Co::. Ee:. Stat. J 1)2""%2''
2. Note t9at a meet2:C does :ot 2:7lAde ?a: adm2:2strat2De or sta;;
meet2:C o; a s2:Cle)mem4er A4l27 aCe:7B.@ .or eMamle, a sta;;
meet2:C o; t9e .2rst Sele7tma: 2s :ot a meet2:C.
&. /lso :ote t9at a qAorAm o; o:e A4l27 aCe:7B 69o are rese:t at a:B
eDe:t 69279 9as 4ee: :ot27ed a:d 7o:dA7ted as a meet2:C o;
a:ot9er A4l27 aCe:7B A:der t9e .OI/ s9all :ot 4e deemed to 4e
9old2:C a meet2:C.
,. ?SA47omm2ttee@3 !9e de;2:2t2o: o; meet2:C 2:7lAdes a:B ?7omm2ttee@
7reated 4B t9e A4l27 aCe:7B %2.e., sA47omm2ttee', so
sA47omm2ttees 7reated 4B a:B 4oard or 7omm2ss2o: are sA4<e7t to
t9e same reqA2reme:ts.
B. Board I:Dest2Cat2o:s
1. !9ere are :o a4solAtelB 7lear CA2del2:es 69e: less t9a: a qAorAm
meets.
2 La6 a:d ol27B 4e92:d la6 seeQs to aDo2d ?;aQe A4l27 meet2:Cs@
a:d do2:C A4l27 4As2:ess 2: r2Date.
& O:e 7ase, W2:d9am D. .OIC, ,$ Co::. /. +22 %1**$', sa2d
s2mlB t9at 2; t9ere 6as :o qAorAm, t9ere 2s :o meet2:C.
, EMamle 13 O:e Board mem4er meets 62t9 9ead o; 4A2ld2:C
7omm2ttee.
+. EMamle 23 Board ao2:ts t6o) or t9ree)erso: sA47omm2ttee
to meet 62t9 9ead o; 4A2ld2:C 7omm2ttee.
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#. EMamle &3 O:e Board mem4er 7alls a se7o:d Board mem4er to
meet 62t9 9ead o; 4A2ld2:C 7omm2ttee.
III. EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
/. Not27e mAst state reaso:. .or eMamle, 2; t9e eMe7At2De sess2o: 2s to
d2s7Ass l2t2Cat2o:, t9e :ot27e s9oAld state t9e :ame o; t9e 7ase.
B. /llo6ed ;or3
1. /o2:tme:t, emloBme:t, er;orma:7e, eDalAat2o:, 9ealt9 or
d2sm2ssal o; a A4l27 o;;27er or emloBee, roD2ded t9at sA79
2:d2D2dAal maB reqA2re t9at d2s7Ass2o: 4e 9eld at a: oe: meet2:C-
2. StrateCB a:d :eCot2at2o:s 62t9 rese7t to e:d2:C 7la2ms or
e:d2:C l2t2Cat2o: to 69279 t9e A4l27 aCe:7B or a mem4er t9ereo;,
4e7aAse o; t9e mem4erGs 7o:dA7t as a mem4er o; sA79 aCe:7B, 2s a
artB A:t2l sA79 l2t2Cat2o: or 7la2m 9as 4ee: ;2:allB ad<Ad27ated or
ot9er62se settled-
&. Se7Ar2tB 2ssAes-
,. D2s7Ass2o: o; t9e sele7t2o: o; a s2te or t9e lease, sale or Ar79ase o;
real estate 69e: A4l27 d2s7Ass2o: 6oAld 7aAse a l2Qel29ood o; a:
2:7reased r27e- a:d
+. D2s7Ass2o: o; a:B matter 69279 6oAld resAlt 2: t9e d2s7losAre o;
7erta2: ot9er A4l27 re7ords t9at are ot9er62se eMemt ;rom
d2s7losAre A:der Se7t2o: 1)21" %e.C., 7erta2: ol27e re7ords'.
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