RECORDS: More light needed

Hats off to the Coeur d’Alene Press and its attorney, John Magnuson, on obtaining the former school superintendent’s “consulting” contract — overcoming the school district’s bogus legal argument and stonewalling of their public records requests.

Everyone who cares about local government openness and transparency owes them a boatload of thanks.

But the school district is far from alone in doing this. The Coeur d’Alene urban renewal agency plays this same game to prevent disclosure of the exorbitant (nearly $200,000 a year) contract of its executive director.

This citizen recently sent the agency a public records request, asking for a copy of that contract, and got the same, lawyer-written response — the claim that it’s exempt from disclosure because it’s part of his “personnel” file.

It’s not, of course. “Personnel” file means the job application, performance evaluations, complaints, reprimands and the like. I never asked for any of that. Just the contract. But that didn’t matter.

The agency and its lawyer stonewalled based on this bogus “personnel” file argument, and said if you don’t like it, sue us. Lacking The Press’ financial resources, this lone member of the public chose not to do so — something the agency no doubt counts on.

So thank you Coeur d’Alene Press and attorney Magnuson. Here’s to letting some sunlight in.

DAVID LYONS

Coeur d’Alene