Thursday, March 22, 2012
Send in the clowns
So the Chamber of Commerce's return to the public on the investment of $36k in tax money is supposed to be a public clown show. I can't wait.
Monday, March 19, 2012
He's shocked. Shocked!
to find that public business must be conducted publicly.
FOAA is Maine's Freedom of Access Act that requires public business be conducted publicly. I would like to like Jim personally, but I also think he does misunderstand the obligations he took on when he ran for and accepted his post as a Councilor. He mistakes the role he has assumed as one he controls and entirely inhabits, not one constrained by law, both written and common. Rather than acknowledging that in transacting public business people should be aware that they should be held accountable for their words, he suggests to his readership that they may secure themselves from direct contact by using the good offices of Facebook. This may be fine for a political campaign, but in governing, it stills open discussion and leads to bitter divisiveness.
In my opinion, people should be encouraged to be involved in their government openly, without fear or shame, except such that they might bring upon themselves.
It really makes me sad that apparently Jim would rather bemoan the minimum legal requirements of openness in governance than enthusiastically comply with them, and provide some leadership by example.
A few weeks ago the Town received a request from a citizen and member of this distribution list for a copy of all of the email addresses used in a particular email. Upon receiving the request the Council sought a legal opinion as to whether the release of email addresses was required under the FOAA or whether the addresses were protected as personal information. The legal opinion stated that the FOAA did not protect the address distribution list and that if requested the Town was obligated to release any address information used to convey information related to Town business. The Council subsequently sought a second opinion which confirmed the original finding.<snip>
I can not help being disappointed with the legal requirements related to this matter. Many of you have asked to be included on the distribution list with an understanding that your personal information will remain private and I wish that I could have honored that request. I have found these email distributions to be an excellent forum for getting information out to the public and for receiving public feedback and sincerely hope that each of you will choose to remain on the distribution list. That being said I can not prevent this type of request from happening in the future so if any of you feel that remaining on the list is not in your best interest please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list.-Jim Cassida, Freeport Town Council Chairman
FOAA is Maine's Freedom of Access Act that requires public business be conducted publicly. I would like to like Jim personally, but I also think he does misunderstand the obligations he took on when he ran for and accepted his post as a Councilor. He mistakes the role he has assumed as one he controls and entirely inhabits, not one constrained by law, both written and common. Rather than acknowledging that in transacting public business people should be aware that they should be held accountable for their words, he suggests to his readership that they may secure themselves from direct contact by using the good offices of Facebook. This may be fine for a political campaign, but in governing, it stills open discussion and leads to bitter divisiveness.
In my opinion, people should be encouraged to be involved in their government openly, without fear or shame, except such that they might bring upon themselves.
It really makes me sad that apparently Jim would rather bemoan the minimum legal requirements of openness in governance than enthusiastically comply with them, and provide some leadership by example.
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