Freedom of Information - FOI

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

I just posted this letter to the Town Council using the online forms generator on the Town's website (comments must be posted before 3PM on the day of a Council meeting:
wethersfieldct.com/council/agenda_comment_form.html

Dear Council Members:
I have become aware of a potentially significant communications problem that the Town may be creating with the Public. I have learned that one or more departments of the Town are now using the not-backward-compatible MsWord 2007 word processing program which as a default produces .docx files. I suspect that most members of the public will not be able to afford this expensive program/suite for a long time. I urge the Town Council to direct the Town Manager to direct those under her control to create MsWord 2003 documents (.doc files) or Adobe Acrobat PDF (cross-platform) files for its documents which the public is entitled to drawn upon under the FOI-CT and FOIA.

For now, the public has a possible work-around so it can decipher the needlessly less than transparent .docx documents:

Zamzar [free on-line file convertion]>>
[Summary:]
blog.zamzar.com/2007/04/10/convert-docx-files-to-doc-pdf-odt-and-txt/
"Convert docx files to doc, pdf, odt and txt
Posted April 10, 2007
Update: Zamzar also now supports the conversion of xlsx files and pptx files.

We like to keep in touch with new file formats here at Zamzar and we’re proud to announce support for online conversion of the new Microsoft Office 2007 DOCX format. The format is based on open XML standards and will undoubtedly be great for future interopability, but what happens when you’re stranded with a .docx file and no copy of MS Office 2007 to view it with ?

Well you can now use Zamzar to convert docx files into any one of the following formats (including older versions of MS Office which only open .doc files):

* doc - Microsoft Word [2003] Doc
* odt - OpenDocument Text Doc
* pcx - Paintbrush Bitmap Image
* pdf - Portable Document Format
* png - Portable Network Graphic
* ps - Postscript Doc
* txt - Text Doc

To convert from .docx simply head over to Zamzar [ www.zamzar.com/ ], select the docx file you want to convert from your computer and enjoy! [But] Note: Conversions won’t work for .docx files created with pre-release versions of MS Word 2007."

You will be presented with the following steps:

Step 1
Select files or URL to convert
(up to 100MB - want more ?)

Step 2
Choose the format to convert to:

Step 3
Enter your email address to receive converted files:

Step 4
Convert (by clicking you
agree to our Terms)

Sincerely yours,
Dr.Ken
Kenneth Edward Sokolowski, D.P.M.
Wethersfield Podiatry & Foot Health Services
1177 Silas Deane Hwy.
Suite: Feet
Wethersfield, Ct 06109
Serving the Soles of Wethersfield for 32+ years

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

A good friend of mine "Sharp Quill" alerted me to this and I pass it on to all for edification and action where appropriate. [bracket = deleted] Underscored = added.

House Bill No. 6502


June 11 Special Session, Public Act No. 08-3

AN ACT CONCERNING COMPREHENSIVE ETHICS REFORMS.


Sec. 11. Section 1-225 of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes, as amended by section 2 of public act 08-18, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2008):


(a) The meetings of all public agencies, except executive sessions, as defined in subdivision (6) of section 1-200, shall be open to the public. The votes of each member of any such public agency upon any issue before such public agency shall be reduced to writing and made available for public inspection within forty-eight hours and shall also be recorded in the minutes of the session at which taken. [, which] Within seven days of the session to which such minutes refer, such minutes shall be available for public inspection [within seven days of the session to which they refer] and posted on such public agency's Internet web site, if available. Each such agency shall make, keep and maintain a record of the proceedings of its meetings.


(b) Each such public agency of the state shall file not later than January thirty-first of each year in the office of the Secretary of the State the schedule of the regular meetings of such public agency for the ensuing year and shall post such schedule on such public agency's Internet web site, if available, except that such [provision] requirements shall not apply to the General Assembly, either house thereof or to any committee thereof. Any other provision of the Freedom of Information Act notwithstanding, the General Assembly at the commencement of each regular session in the odd-numbered years, shall adopt, as part of its joint rules, rules to provide notice to the public of its regular, special, emergency or interim committee meetings. The chairperson or secretary of any such public agency of any political subdivision of the state shall file, not later than January thirty-first of each year, with the clerk of such subdivision the schedule of regular meetings of such public agency for the ensuing year, and no such meeting of any such public agency shall be held sooner than thirty days after such schedule has been filed. The chief executive officer of any multitown district or agency shall file, not later than January thirty-first of each year, with the clerk of each municipal member of such district or agency, the schedule of regular meetings of such public agency for the ensuing year, and no such meeting of any such public agency shall be held sooner than thirty days after such schedule has been filed.


(c) The agenda of the regular meetings of every public agency, except for the General Assembly, shall be available to the public and shall be filed, not less than twenty-four hours before the meetings to which they refer, (1) in such agency's regular office or place of business, and (2) in the office of the Secretary of the State for any such public agency of the state, in the office of the clerk of such subdivision for any public agency of a political subdivision of the state or in the office of the clerk of each municipal member of any multitown district or agency. For any such public agency of the state, such agenda shall be posted on the public agency's and the Secretary of the State's web sites. Upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of a public agency present and voting, any subsequent business not included in such filed agendas may be considered and acted upon at such meetings.


(d) Notice of each special meeting of every public agency, except for the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee thereof, shall be posted not less than twenty-four hours before the meeting to which such notice refers on the public agency's Internet web site, if available, and given not less than twenty-four hours prior to the time of such meeting by filing a notice of the time and place thereof in the office of the Secretary of the State for any such public agency of the state, in the office of the clerk of such subdivision for any public agency of a political subdivision of the state and in the office of the clerk of each municipal member for any multitown district or agency. The secretary or clerk shall cause any notice received under this section to be posted in his office. Such notice shall be given not less than twenty-four hours prior to the time of the special meeting; provided, in case of emergency, except for the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee thereof, any such special meeting may be held without complying with the foregoing requirement for the filing of notice but a copy of the minutes of every such emergency special meeting adequately setting forth the nature of the emergency and the proceedings occurring at such meeting shall be filed with the Secretary of the State, the clerk of such political subdivision, or the clerk of each municipal member of such multitown district or agency, as the case may be, not later than seventy-two hours following the holding of such meeting. The notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted. No other business shall be considered at such meetings by such public agency. In addition, such written notice shall be delivered to the usual place of abode of each member of the public agency so that the same is received prior to such special meeting. The requirement of delivery of such written notice may be dispensed with as to any member who at or prior to the time the meeting convenes files with the clerk or secretary of the public agency a written waiver of delivery of such notice. Such waiver may be given by telegram. The requirement of delivery of such written notice may also be dispensed with as to any member who is actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any agency from adopting more stringent notice requirements.


(e) No member of the public shall be required, as a condition to attendance at a meeting of any such body, to register the member's name, or furnish other information, or complete a questionnaire or otherwise fulfill any condition precedent to the member's attendance.


(f) A public agency may hold an executive session, as defined in subdivision (6) of section 1-200, upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of such body present and voting, taken at a public meeting and stating the reasons for such executive session, as defined in section 1-200.


(g) In determining the time within which or by when a notice, agenda, record of votes or minutes of a special meeting or an emergency special meeting are required to be filed under this section, Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays and any day on which the office of the agency, the Secretary of the State or the clerk of the applicable political subdivision or the clerk of each municipal member of any multitown district or agency, as the case may be, is closed, shall be excluded.

[cruzrt]

I really like this new law. But, did it pass in the legislature and get signed into law? And, when does it take effect? If every town board/commission has to post their minutes on the town website, it means that our illustrious government has been in violation many many time since last June (no surprise). Now, here's the cynic in me: does the town actually have a website? Notice that what we believe the town website to be is wethersfieldct.COM You don't supposed someone will say that it's not the town's official website (because it's not ".gov"). And, 1 last thought: who enforces violations? That would be afull time job for enforcing compliance.

[SyZyGy]

Aug 29, 2008 15:34:35 GMT -5 cruzrt said:

I really like this new law. Good for you! But, did it pass in the legislature and get signed into law?Yes!And, when does it take effect? Read the first paragraph again, with your glasses on this time! If every town board/commission has to post their minutes on the town website, it means that our illustrious government has been in violation many many time since last June (no surprise). No! Now, here's the cynic ?? in me: does the town actually have a website?Do you have a life? Notice that what we believe the town website to be is wethersfieldct.COM You don't supposed someone will say that it's not the town's official website (because it's not ".gov")..gov; .mil; .fed.us - only allowed by US or State governments, not cities, towns, or quasi's (MDC) And, 1 last thought: who enforces violations? That would be afull time job for enforcing compliance.Blumenthal!

[cruzrt]

An organization known as "Connecticut Council of Small Towns" wants to get that new regulation about Internet postings of minutes and agendas repealed. Rich Roberts, of various town commissions, looks like 1 of those members who is trying to get the repeal done. Doing a repeal is an affront to the citizens. Maybe some of the posters would like to comment on this, either here or to the appropriate persons in our town government.