GRAMA Request Stalled Thru "Calculated incompetence?”
Cover-up Day 21 – Cost estimate now up to $2,800!
After Monday Oct 23rd CHCRG article “STONEWALL: City demands $2,400 for GRAMA requesting FREE golfing docs?!", City Manager Chandler Goodwin called Researcher Ken Cromar to explain that getting the records was “not as easy as you may think”. To his credit Goodwin invited Cromar to see just how hard it is to retrieve records using the City’s golf reservations software.
They met Oct. 26th, Thursday noon at the Golf Clubhouse. Goodwin brought City Recorder Colleen Mulvey for what resulted in approximately 1.5 hours. That meeting confirmed a number important facts relating to on-going cover-up:
– The City staff does not know if there are electronic shortcuts, nor had they contacted or confirmed with the software provider if electronic sorts of golf reservations via the software are possible — prior to making their 80 hour cost “estimate” that coincidentally couldn’t be fulfilled before final election day.
– The per hour cost for GRAMA records has risen, and is now calculated at $35 / hour. This means that the $2,400 cost estimate is actually $2,800!
– Also, Mulvey could not confirm which if any of the three years of GRAMA Requested Records had already been destroyed as per her own letter two previously claiming that as City policy. Again, how could the 80 hour estimate be made if the number of available records was unknown?
Note: Councilwoman Jenney Rees wrote a scathing, but inaccurate defense of the city (“Fake News”?) regarding a similar Free Golf GRAMA requested 2 years ago, in which she claimed CHCRG requested public documents were “irretrievable”. She was wrong. Cromar had stated that if the city has the records, and they are “irretrievable”, but the city won’t let us have them to check access with professional help at our cost — then these records are in essence “destroyed”. Goodwin confirmed he was right in his claim as former Councilman Rob Crawley was about to prove. (see Jenney’s under-informed article below)
Financial expert Rob Crawley ARRIVES!
Former Councilman Rob Crawley (golf record WikiLeaks financial expert – see "Brad Sears Free Golf Scandal Exposed" ) then showed up — at Cromar’s invitation.
– Goodwin also admitted that the City did not know if any of the city’s golf records from “December 2014 and prior” using PAR 9 software still exist. Goodwin said he thought that two years prior the city and/or the software provider may have retained a copy of CH golf records up to December of 2014 — but had no idea who if anyone still had a copy — but that he would check. As of close of City today, Goodwin has not updated whether he discovered if any of the 2014 and prior PAR 9 records exist yet.
— Two years ago the City attorney had also called Cromar to question CHCRG saying the 2014 and prior PAR 9 records had been destroyed. Cromar insisted that City provide the records for CHCRG to seek technical help or live with the designation of the "City has destroyed the golf records”. The records were not provided, but the city still claims they’re “not destroyed”.
— Crawley pointed out that while on the Golf Finance Committee he had contacted PAR 9 to ask for help around the “out dated software” the City said it couldn’t access. But, PAR 9 quickly and easily provided the access to the portion of the records he provided.
— Why didn’t the city provide the records when they could have done so by simply asking for guidance by their software providers in 2014? Or, in 2017?
— It appears that if the Mayor, Council or staff wanted to access the public golf records they can, but if residents lawfully GRAMA request public records, that the city is conveniently incompetent and unable to retrieve “irretrievable” records.
COVER-UP in CEDAR HILLS?
Based on Crawley & Cromar’s questions of Chandler & Mulvey that the City has been quick to establish HIGH cost and LONG time to fulfill information important to Voters before an election.
They admit that their estimates were made without confirming what public records they actually have, and if the golf reservations software has simple electronic sorts of the GRAMA requested records that could be provided in minutes — not weeks. Political stalling? Incompetence? Calculated and convenient ignorance? All the above?
Either way — the FREE Golf Records Cover-Up in CH Continues — apparently through the election — keeping the pro-golf-at-all-cost insiders in power — by unethically withholding information, and disparaging anyone asking questions, or holding an opposing view. Nazi styled “book burning” in Cedar Hills?
To Councilwoman / Mayoral Candidate Jenney Rees: You wrote, “Where inaccurate or incorrect information is publicly advanced, the City feels it is in the interest of the community to prove an accurate and correct summary.” Jenney, where do you suggest residents go when City officials advance “inaccurate or incorrect” information, hide public records at elections, malign the character of residents asking questions or with differing opinions, or when a City Council woman's husband threatens physical violence on them while at a Council meeting?
Many CH residents who do not feel safe coming to city meetings or participating in city government if their opinion is different than those in control.
The BIG GOLF LIE states “there are no other reasonable options” than keeping the golf course . This is FALSE. In the meanwhile, the Mayor, all Council, all City Staff and apparently Brad Sears and F.O.B.s (friends of Brad) continue to award themselves and allow unlimited FREE golf — on the backs of Cedar Hills taxpayers who lose $581,000 avg. per year in golf subsidies.
CH VOTERS: If you want more of the same — including $581,000 losses per year at the expense of parks, rec. center, pool, library, etc. — then, keep voting for those currently in power currently controlling the City and suppressing, bullying and intimidating ANY alternative view.
Most Disappointed,
Ken Cromar – Researcher for CHCRG
former elected CH City Councilman — 1994 to 2000