FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION

OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

In the Matter of a Complaint by FINAL DECISION

Eliot C. White, William H. Watson, Shaun Sutner and Record-Journal,

Complainant

against Docket #FIC 91-1

Wallingford Board of Education,

Respondent January 14, 1991

The above-captioned matter was heard as a contested case on January 11, 1991, at which time the complainant and the respondent appeared, stipulated to certain facts and presented testimony, exhibits and argument on the complaint.

After consideration of the entire record, the following facts are found and conclusions of law are reached:

1. The respondent is a public agency within the meaning of 1-18a(a), G.S.

2. By complaint filed January 8, 1991, the complainants alleged that the respondent voted at its December 17, 1990 meeting to have placed on the agenda for the upcoming January 14, 1991 meeting an item calling for an executive session for the purpose of self evaluation of the board.

3. The complainants asked that the Commission schedule an expedited hearing to determine whether it should enjoin the respondent from holding the executive session it proposes to hold on January 14, 1991 for the purpose of self evaluation.

4. The respondent claimed that the the respondent did not intend to hold an executive session for the purpose of self evaluation on January 14, 1991, and moved to dismiss the complaint.

5. It is found that the agenda for the meeting lists that there will be a public discussion concerning whether at some time in the future there would be an executive session discussion concerning the relationships of board members.

Docket #FIC 91-1 Page Two

6. It is found that the chairman of the respondent board has provided assurances that there will be no executive session to discuss the relationships of the board members.

7. It is concluded that the respondent does not intend to hold an executive session to discuss the relationships of its members.

The following order by the Commission is hereby recommended on the basis of the record concerning the above-captioned complaint.

1. The complaint is hereby dismissed.

Approved by order of the Freedom of Information Commission at its special meeting of January 14, 1991.

Tina C. Frappier

Acting Clerk of the Commission

Docket #FIC 91-1 Page Three

PURSUANT TO SECTION 4-180(c), G.S. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE NAMES OF EACH PARTY AND THE MOST RECENT MAILING ADDRESS, PROVIDED TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION, OF THE PARTIES OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE.

THE PARTIES TO THIS CONTESTED CASE ARE:

ELIOT C. WHITE, WILLIAM H. WATSON, SHAUN SUTNER AND RECORD-JOURNAL

c/o 11 Crown Street

Meriden, CT 06450

WALLINGFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION

c/o Richard D. O'Connor, Esq.

Siegel, O'Connor & Schiff

370 Asylum Street

Hartford, CT 06103

Tina C. Frappier

Acting Clerk of the Commission