City Council Ignores Open Records Request, Violates Public Information Act

At the City Council meeting on February 12, 2015, the City Council was handed an Open Records Request from Don Hormachea.  He handed the Request to each of the 5 Alderman, the Mayor, the City Clerk, and the City Attorney.

The Public Information Act gives people the ability to access information that the government has.  Here is a brief excerpt of the law:

Sec. 552.022. CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; EXAMPLES.
(a) Without limiting the amount or kind of information that is public information under this chapter, the following categories of information are public information and not excepted from required disclosure unless made confidential under this chapter or other law:

(1) a completed report, audit, evaluation, or investigation made of, for, or by a governmental body, except as provided by Section 552.108;

(2) the name, sex, ethnicity, salary, title, and dates of employment of each employee and officer of a governmental body;

(3) information in an account, voucher, or contract relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds by a governmental body;

Hormachea requested the following:

I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records that describe the extent of public debt that the City of Sandy Oaks, Texas currently owes, how that debt was incurred and any plan on the part of the City to discharge that debt.

A governing body has 10 days to answer an Open Records Request or it violates Public Information Act.  The 10th business day for the City of Sandy Oaks was February 26, 2015.

Hormachea says he still hasn’t received the information he requested from the city.