FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

FINAL DECISION
Docket #FIC 1996-600
October 22, 1997

In the Matter of a Complaint by Lorraine Tirella, Complainant
against
Kate Cosgrove, First Selectman, Town of Oxford, Respondent

The above-captioned matter was scheduled to be heard as a contested case on September 11, 1997, at which time the complainant and the respondent appeared, and presented limited testimony and argument on the complaint. At an informal conference during the September 11, 1997 hearing, the complainant and the respondent reached the terms of an agreement in resolution of this contested case.

With reference to the specific past events at issue in the complaint, the parties agreed that: 1) the complainant maintains that there was a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") violation as she alleged; and also that: 2) the respondent denies that there was any such violation.

With reference to the broader perspective of establishing a strong foundation for positive future FOIA dealings, the parties further agreed that henceforth the town clerk, or in her absence, her staff, will serve as the clearinghouse for all record requests of the complainant to any agency of the municipal government of the Town of Oxford. The complainant’s requests for copies of records will be in writing, but her requests to inspect records may be made orally. If a record is not made available forthwith upon request by the complainant, a copy of the complainant’s request for a copy of a record or any town clerk’s record of an oral request by the complainant to inspect a record will be transmitted immediately to both the first selectman and the town counsel. These senior town officials will then be able to facilitate an appropriate lawful response to the complainant’s request.

Based upon this agreement, the complainant informed the Commission that she wished to withdraw her complaint.

The Commission warmly commends both the complainant and the respondent for working successfully to negotiate a non-litigated settlement of their earlier differences.

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 regular meeting of October 22, 1997.

_________________________
Doris V. Luetjen
Acting Clerk of the Commission

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:
Lorraine Tirella
11 Larkey Road
Oxford, CT 06478

Kate Cosgrove, First Selectman, Town of Oxford
c/o Dominick J. Thomas, Jr.
Town Counsel
315 Main Street
P.O. Box
Derby, CT 06418

__________________________
Doris V. Luetjen
Acting Clerk of the Commission
FIC1996-600/FD/tcg/10221997