DeKalb County School District Bus Driver Sickout

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

All emails on or related to the bus drivers' strike from April 18-24, 2018 containing the keywords "union," "teamsters," "bus drivers," "strike," "sickout," and "DeKalb County School Bus Driver Solidarity Coalition," and "DCSBDSC." Please search the emails of Dr. R. Stephen Green, Daniel Drake, Dr. Sherry Everett, Linda Woodard, Marissa Key, and Eileen Houston-Stewart.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Mackenzie Farkus

Hello Audrey,

Thank you for your email. I would like to discuss the estimated cost you provided.

As a member of the media, I would like to request a fee waiver. I am a reporter for MuckRock News and will be writing articles on different states' education strikes. Any information regarding education strikes is, of course, in the public interest, and I would not be using this information for any commercial purposes.

According to McFrugal Rental v. Garr, 262 Ga. 369, 418 S.E.2d 60 (1992), an agency may not charge a search or retrieval fee unless it poses “an unusual administrative cost or burden.” Can you elaborate on why you are charging a retrieval fee for these emails?

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need more clarification, and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Thanks,
Mackenzie Farkus

Hello Audrey,

I understand that your office has provided me with the cost "for the search, retrieval and redaction of the requested records," as per O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(c)(1). I am asking why your agency is charging me a retrieval fee for these emails. Again, as mentioned in my previous email, an agency may not charge a search or retrieval fee unless it poses “an unusual administrative cost or burden," according to McFrugal Rental v. Garr, 262 Ga. 369, 418 S.E.2d 60 (1992). Please tell me why there is a retrieval fee.

Thanks,
Mackenzie Farkus