HASSO HERING

A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley

Albany email dispute: Story continues

Written October 2nd, 2013 by

100_1235Tom Cordier, the citizen activist in Albany, has scored a partial victory for the public’s right to get public records, in this case email addresses. The case also raises a question about the city’s own use of those addresses.

Cordier had sought to use a list of 33,800 addresses to which the city government emails its monthly newsletter. The city refused, and Cordier appealed to Linn County District Attorney Doug Marteeny. The DA agreed with the city that emails of library and public utility patrons are exempt from disclosure by law, but that 4,600 addresses obtained by Parks and Recreation must be disclosed because the city had not met a test for confidentiality in each individual case.

The city had also maintained, and the DA agreed, that the addresses it gets can be used for any city purpose even if intended mainly to communicate on library, utility or parks & rec programs. Which brings us to City Bridges, the newsletter.

The October issue has reminders to keep debris out of the storm drains and trash cans off sidewalks and bike lanes. It also, however, has an item about Obamacare. And it has a puzzling link, “Getting to Know Grapes,” which points not to wine but to a story in the Salem newspaper about the retired wife of an Albany official.

If it’s going to use confidential email lists to communicate on city business, the city might want to make sure it does only that. (hh)

From Tom Cordier:   Thank you for pointing out that the articles in “Bridges” are not confined to official city business. The next question is who is the editor of Bridges? How can those who want to be read by 33,000 submit an article for consideration? Will non-conforming voices be allowed to contribute?
Governments always seek to expand their reach and Albany is no different. When government constructs systems (always at taxpayer expense) to have the biggest, least expensive megaphone, then we have a government-controlled press. Albany now operates a TV program and an e-news platform — a slippery slope.





Comments are closed.

 

 
HH Today: A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley
Albany Albany City Council Albany council Albany downtown Albany Fire Department Albany housing Albany parks Albany Planning Commission Albany police Albany Post Office Albany Public Works Albany riverfront Albany schools Albany Station Albany streets Albany traffic Albany urban renewal apartments ARA Benton County bicycling bike lanes Bowman Park Bryant Park Calapooia River CARA climate change COVID-19 Cox Creek Cox Creek path Crocker Lane cumberland church cycling Dave Clark Path DEQ downtown Albany Edgewater Village Highway 20 homeless housing Interstate 5 land use Linn County Millersburg Monteith Riverpark North Albany ODOT Oregon coast Oregon legislature Pacific Power Portland & Western Queen Avenue Republic Services Riverside Drive Santiam Canal Scott Lepman Talking Water Gardens The Banks Tom Cordier Union Pacific urban renewal Water Avenue Waterfront Project Waverly Lake Willamette River


Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved. Hasso Hering.
Website Serviced by Santiam Communications
Hasso Hering