NorCo's 500-Page RTK Response Still Incomplete

On Friday, I received a 500-page response to a Right-to-Know request in Northampton County. This is pursuant to recent state law designed to make records more accessible to the public. One of you had these questions. "[H]ow would you know if you got all the expense reports and p-card use? i believe you will get all of them but what if some were hidden?" Well, that's what has happened. Though the law provides sanctions for refusals to disclose made in bad faith, I think what happened here is just an honest mistake.

In my Right-to-Know, I asked for the following:

"1) All expense reports submitted by HR Director Amy Trapp since the date of her hire, including the approval or disapproval. 2) All P-Card purchases made by Amy Trapp since the date of her hire. 3) All purchases made for the HR Department from 11/15/16 to present for furniture, TVs, radios, cell phones, paintings and office decorations 4) All expense reports submitted by Executive John Brown from 2015 through present. 5) All expense reports submitted by every cabinet level official, whether approved or disapproved, from 2015 to present. 6) All expense reports submitted by Council members commencing in 2014 to present. (Scanned copies are acceptable)."

Though these informational requests must be answered in five business days, most governments respond to even the most routine records requests with an automatic 30-day extension. Then, despite a presumption in the law itself that all records are public, government officials will look for a reason to say No. All too often, the Right-to-Know has become the Right-Not-to-Know.

I've criticized Northampton County and Executive John Brown for their complete lack of transparency, so they apparently went all out to respond within the required five days. But in the process, mistakes were made.

I asked for expense reports by all Council members and cabinet officials, but some are missing, including expense reports from former Administrator Luis Campos. I know he incurred expenses and is referred to in other expense reports. No expense reports have been provided for Fiscal Director Jim Hunter or Council members Bob Werner, Glenn Geissinger, Seth Vaughn and Mat Benol. The County needs to confirm no such records exist or produce them.

Also, I know that over $4,000 was spent for furniture in Human Relations almost as soon as Amy Trapp was named Director there, but only a few have been supplied.

I have asked Attorney O'Donnell to comply with his Right to Know and produce the records that I know exist. W are currently in the appeal period, so I will be forced to appeal this refusal unless they are produced.