FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COMMISSION

OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

 

In the Matter of a Complaint by                        FINAL DECISION

 

Beth V. Denton,

 

                        Complainant

 

            against              Docket #FIC 90-371

 

West Haven Comptroller and Director of Finance,

 

                        Respondent                  March 27, 1991

 

            The above-captioned matter was heard as a contested case on January 29, 1991, at which time the complainant and the respondent appeared, stipulated to certain facts and presented testimony, exhibits and argument on the complaint.  This case was consolidated for hearing with contested case docket numbers FIC 90-378 and FIC 90-502.

 

            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 letter filed with this Commission on September 28, 1990, the complainant alleged that the respondent violated the FOI Act by denying her access to public records as requested in her letter of September 17, 1990.

 

            3.  It is found that by letter dated September 17, 1990, the complainant requested access to all monthly phone bills from December 1989 through September 1990 including car phone invoices.

 

            4.  It is found that the requested records are public records within the meaning of 1-18a(d), G.S.

 

            5.  It is found that on the date the respondent received the complainant's September 17 letter, he erroneously responded that the requested records were remitted with their payments and were not retained; however, the complainant could inspect a journal kept by his office indicating the amount paid for each phone line billed.

 

            6.  It is also found that by letter dated September 27, 1990, the respondent again contacted the complainant to inform

 

Docket #FIC 90-371                           Page 2

 

her that he had been mistaken concerning the retention of the records requested and suggested that she contact him to arrange a mutually convenient time to inspect the records during the week of October 8 or later (when the accounts payable clerk was expected back from vacation by the respondent).

 

            7.  At hearing the complainant claimed that although she received some records from the respondent, she did not receive all the records to which she is entitled.

 

            8.  It is found that the respondent provided the complainant with all the relevant records he and his staff could find.

 

            9.  It is also found that personal telephone call information contained in the mobile telephone records of the mayor had been redacted by the mayor's office prior to the respondent's possession of such.

 

            10.  Accordingly, it is concluded that the respondent did not violate the provisions of the FOI Act under the facts of this case.

 

            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 March 27, 1991.

 

                                                         

                                    Tina C. Frappier

                                    Acting Clerk of the Commission

 

Docket #FIC 90-371                           Page 3

 

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:

BETH V. DENTON

107 Second Avenue

West Haven, CT 06516

 

WEST HAVEN COMPTROLLER AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

c/o Gerald P. Dwyer, Esq.

Corporation Counsel

355 Main Street

West Haven, CT 06516

 

                                                         

                                    Tina C. Frappier

                                    Acting Clerk of the Commission