Right-to-know: Daily Record/Sunday News audit results
Daily
Record/Sunday News
In October, the York Daily Record/Sunday News made 18 right-to-know requests as part of a statewide audit of the new open records law that was led by The Associated Press. Here are the results of those requests. The records requested were public under the law.
AUDITOR: Teresa Boeckel
Agency: Fawn Township
Record requested: Most recent three grant applications
Result: Filled promptly. Township secretary/treasurer Luann Julius produced grants from 2004 and 2005, noting that the township doesn't apply for many grants.
Notes: Julius asked Boeckel who she was representing but did not press for the information before filling the request.
Agency: Stewartstown
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Filled promptly. A borough employee produced copies of a grant application related to the borough's comprehensive plan; it was the only recent grant the town had applied for.
Notes: The employee asked who Boeckel was with and why she wanted the applications, but didn't hesitate to produce them.
Agency: South Eastern School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: The district asked for a 30-day extension to respond to the request because of a "bona fide and specified staffing limitation." In a letter dated Nov. 9, 33 days after the initial request, the district told Boeckel that the contract was available for inspection.
Notes: The district asked for a written request, then told Boeckel she would receive a letter in five days. That letter asked for the extension.
AUDITOR: Melissa Nann Burke
Agency: York County Solid Waste Authority
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Filled. Ellen O'Connor, manager of the community services division, pulled the grant applications within a couple of days and reserved a conference room so Burke could inspect the records.
Notes: Receptionist provided a packet of RTK information, but O'Connor said a formal request was not necessary.
Agency: York County Prison
Record requested: Prison Warden Mary Sabol's application or resume
Result: Burke's request was referred to four people, the last of whom was Chuck Noll, the county's right-to-know officer. He called to let her know that the document was available for review or via e-mail.
Notes: The prison's office manager told Burke that county employee records such as the one she was requesting were not public records.
Agency: York City School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: Public relations representative for the district handed Burke the contract.
Notes: A receptionist told Burke that her name was required in order to get the document, and politely insisted on knowing who she was representing.
AUDITOR: Susan Jennings
Agency: Red Lion Area School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: The district mailed a copy of the contract promptly after receiving the copying fee.
Notes: Process was straightforward after apparent initial confusion over who was the right-to-know officer.
Agency: York County commissioner's office
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: County provided the requested documents after receiving a written request.
Notes: Auditor was directed to three people, and the third, Chuck Noll, the county's right-to-know officer, was the correct person to handle the request.
AUDITOR: Jeff Frantz
Agency: Northeastern School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: District provided the contract after receiving an RTK form.
Notes: Polite and efficient response.
Agency: Lower Windsor Township
Record requested: Employee's resume or application
Result: Township provided the document after double-checking to make sure it was public.
Notes: Friendly and upbeat response.
Agency: Hellam Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township set up a time at which the records could be reviewed.
Notes: Same-day response.
Agency: Hallam
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Borough didn't have records on hand, but the documents would have been available through the engineering firm that had possession.
Notes: Engineering firm required RTK form to be filled out at borough. The firm said that because the records were archived, it would charge a research fee of $200, potentially to the borough. The YDR/SN dropped the request once it was clear the records would have been made available, to avoid having the borough hit with a fee for the RTK audit.
AUDITOR: Sean Adkins
Agency: North Codorus Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township manager Mark Derr produced the records on the spot without requiring a written request.
Notes: Township provided a room where Adkins could look through the documents.
Agency: Manheim Township
Record requested: Public employee's application or resume
Result: Request denied because the township lost its copy of manager Loren Reibling's resume. Reibling had been hired as a zoning officer in 1996.
Notes: Reibling offered to run home and make a copy of his resume from his personal computer.
Agency: Eastern York School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: District faxed the contract the day after the request was put in writing.
Notes: A secretary asked for a written request and handed Adkins a blank piece of paper. She then said she assumed he was a reporter because he didn't "flinch" when she asked him to put it in writing.
AUDITOR: Kevin Horan
Agency: Dover Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township provided the documents.
Notes: Receptionist asked who Horan was with, or whether he was a student doing research, and appeared to want an answer before producing the documents.
Agency: Newberry Township Police
Record requested: Police blotter
Result: Document provided.
Notes: The department's receptionist insisted that Horan identify himself, provide his phone number, required that he produce identification (a driver's license) and asked if she could photocopy it. The chief then came out and ask what Horan was specifically looking for, how long he'd been at the YDR and who his supervisor was. Then another receptionist came out, and asked for a work ID. At that point she produced the documents.
Agency: Dallastown Area School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: Document provided five business days after request.
Notes: A receptionist wrote down Horan's name and asked if he was a Dallastown resident.
In October, the York Daily Record/Sunday News made 18 right-to-know requests as part of a statewide audit of the new open records law that was led by The Associated Press. Here are the results of those requests. The records requested were public under the law.
AUDITOR: Teresa Boeckel
Agency: Fawn Township
Record requested: Most recent three grant applications
Result: Filled promptly. Township secretary/treasurer Luann Julius produced grants from 2004 and 2005, noting that the township doesn't apply for many grants.
Notes: Julius asked Boeckel who she was representing but did not press for the information before filling the request.
Agency: Stewartstown
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Filled promptly. A borough employee produced copies of a grant application related to the borough's comprehensive plan; it was the only recent grant the town had applied for.
Notes: The employee asked who Boeckel was with and why she wanted the applications, but didn't hesitate to produce them.
Agency: South Eastern School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: The district asked for a 30-day extension to respond to the request because of a "bona fide and specified staffing limitation." In a letter dated Nov. 9, 33 days after the initial request, the district told Boeckel that the contract was available for inspection.
Notes: The district asked for a written request, then told Boeckel she would receive a letter in five days. That letter asked for the extension.
AUDITOR: Melissa Nann Burke
Agency: York County Solid Waste Authority
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Filled. Ellen O'Connor, manager of the community services division, pulled the grant applications within a couple of days and reserved a conference room so Burke could inspect the records.
Notes: Receptionist provided a packet of RTK information, but O'Connor said a formal request was not necessary.
Agency: York County Prison
Record requested: Prison Warden Mary Sabol's application or resume
Result: Burke's request was referred to four people, the last of whom was Chuck Noll, the county's right-to-know officer. He called to let her know that the document was available for review or via e-mail.
Notes: The prison's office manager told Burke that county employee records such as the one she was requesting were not public records.
Agency: York City School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: Public relations representative for the district handed Burke the contract.
Notes: A receptionist told Burke that her name was required in order to get the document, and politely insisted on knowing who she was representing.
AUDITOR: Susan Jennings
Agency: Red Lion Area School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: The district mailed a copy of the contract promptly after receiving the copying fee.
Notes: Process was straightforward after apparent initial confusion over who was the right-to-know officer.
Agency: York County commissioner's office
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: County provided the requested documents after receiving a written request.
Notes: Auditor was directed to three people, and the third, Chuck Noll, the county's right-to-know officer, was the correct person to handle the request.
AUDITOR: Jeff Frantz
Agency: Northeastern School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: District provided the contract after receiving an RTK form.
Notes: Polite and efficient response.
Agency: Lower Windsor Township
Record requested: Employee's resume or application
Result: Township provided the document after double-checking to make sure it was public.
Notes: Friendly and upbeat response.
Agency: Hellam Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township set up a time at which the records could be reviewed.
Notes: Same-day response.
Agency: Hallam
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Borough didn't have records on hand, but the documents would have been available through the engineering firm that had possession.
Notes: Engineering firm required RTK form to be filled out at borough. The firm said that because the records were archived, it would charge a research fee of $200, potentially to the borough. The YDR/SN dropped the request once it was clear the records would have been made available, to avoid having the borough hit with a fee for the RTK audit.
AUDITOR: Sean Adkins
Agency: North Codorus Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township manager Mark Derr produced the records on the spot without requiring a written request.
Notes: Township provided a room where Adkins could look through the documents.
Agency: Manheim Township
Record requested: Public employee's application or resume
Result: Request denied because the township lost its copy of manager Loren Reibling's resume. Reibling had been hired as a zoning officer in 1996.
Notes: Reibling offered to run home and make a copy of his resume from his personal computer.
Agency: Eastern York School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: District faxed the contract the day after the request was put in writing.
Notes: A secretary asked for a written request and handed Adkins a blank piece of paper. She then said she assumed he was a reporter because he didn't "flinch" when she asked him to put it in writing.
AUDITOR: Kevin Horan
Agency: Dover Township
Record requested: Most recent 3 grant applications
Result: Township provided the documents.
Notes: Receptionist asked who Horan was with, or whether he was a student doing research, and appeared to want an answer before producing the documents.
Agency: Newberry Township Police
Record requested: Police blotter
Result: Document provided.
Notes: The department's receptionist insisted that Horan identify himself, provide his phone number, required that he produce identification (a driver's license) and asked if she could photocopy it. The chief then came out and ask what Horan was specifically looking for, how long he'd been at the YDR and who his supervisor was. Then another receptionist came out, and asked for a work ID. At that point she produced the documents.
Agency: Dallastown Area School District
Record requested: Superintendent's contract
Result: Document provided five business days after request.
Notes: A receptionist wrote down Horan's name and asked if he was a Dallastown resident.