What costs $190 in Frisco?

by | Nov 20, 2023 | Politics, Public Information Requests, Public Works

What is the Public Information Act and what is a Public Information Request?  Well, we told you all about the act in our previous blog which you can read by clicking here PIR’s.  We continue to file PIR’s and we continue to wait and we are left questioning how the City of Frisco determines the cost for certain PIR’s  and what qualifications must be met for a PIR to be sent to the Attorney General. 

For example, I filed a PIR requesting the following: “We would like any emails regarding the flooding that took place on 7/3/23 near 2XXX Sleepy Hollow Trail. Emails from PD, streets department, city management and city council. We would like any pictures taken by the streets department at the scene since they were called out by PD. We would like to know what caused the flood?”  The response was we have sent this to AG for a ruling. 

WHY WOULD THE CITY SEND A SIMPLE REQUEST LIKE THIS TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL?  Is the city going to try and say how we build streets is confidential?  How a sewer system operates is considered confidential?  What could they possibly claim should be confidential?  We are just guessing but it is our opinion and our opinion only (we have no concrete proof since they have sent it to the AG) that the city drain was clogged causing a backup that flooded a resident’s home.  Either way, we will wait it out with the city to see what the AG has to say.

Second example, I went head-to-head with Mr. Bobblehead Bill Woodard and my wife filed a PIR requesting the following information he discussed on line and presented the city with images of his exact comments.  We asked for the email and documentation that supported his claims and we got back a letter that it will cost $90.00.  What in the heck are they doing that costs $90.00 because Bill is quoted on Facebook as saying just email him and he will send it to you.  So how does something Bill is willing to email out for free and the backup documentation to support it cost $90.00?

Then my wife did another request asking for the last 5 years of emergency call logs for Fire Squad.  Guess what, they didn’t send it to the AG but they do want $100.80 for the information.  That surprises us because in their CAD system or 911 system that should be easy to pull and save in a PDF.  Is there something they don’t want us to know?  Will the numbers match the numbers Bobblehead Bill put online recently?  Maybe just maybe we catch him in one of those FIBS!  WHAT COSTS $100???? 

Third example, I filed a PIR for the expense reports and all expenses related to the Tulsa Southern Hills PGA trip that several city members went on and I am being told some of it is confidential and only available for INSPECTION AT CITY HALL.  WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT EXPENSES REPORTS?  WE HAVE ALWAYS RECEIVED THEM NO ISSUE SO WHY NOW IS SOMETHING CONFIDENTIAL AND ONLY AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE CITY? 

Last example is we filed a PIR for information on the Nepotism Policy because we were curious why the city change it 2 times in less than 4 months. They provided us a few documents and sent the rest to the Texas Attorney General. WHAT COULD BE CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT THE NEPOTISM POLICY THAT IS IN THE CITY CHARTER AND ONLINE? What could Sassy Safranek in HR our the city claim is confidential about a policy that determines how city employees operate.

The Texas Public Information Act assures that government entities give citizens access to information about what the public servants are doing on their behalf.  It is a way for citizens to hold their public officials accountable.  It is our opinion that the city is trying to keep us from public information by continually sending it to the AG and by charging asinine prices for it.  THEY DON’T WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!! 

I guess the BEST CITY IN THE WORLD does not have an IT department that can do a simple network search of emails and documents.  Maybe it is because many of these folks use their personal email accounts to keep things away from the public.  Either way we will pay for the PIR’s and we will get our information.  I can assure you we have filed PIR’s with other cities and within a few days received a response and paid $10 to $15 for a whole lot of information.  Just Frisco – only Frisco seems to take 10 years and PIRs cost as much as Mayor Jeff Cheney’s self driving tesla or fancy house. Ask yourself, should 2 PIR’s cost $190.00+?