Seattle City Light and DOJ comms re hiding public surveillance equipment inventory from public
| Submitted | May 19, 2016 |
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Communications
From: Phil Mocek
To Whom It May Concern:
On May 18, 2016, regarding my Public Records Act request of December 14, 2015, for "all past and current versions of the list of equipment installed on utility poles to which Mr. Williams referred in his August 4, 2015 e-mail to SCL, SPD, ATF, and FBI, along with associated metadata," Stacy Irwin at Seattle City Light wrote to me [via e-mail][1] that the "U.S. Attorney’s office has informed [SCL] that they need some additional time with their review and determination as to whether to seek an injunction" blocking release to me of the public record I requested more than five months ago.
Pursuant to RCW Ch. 42.56 (Public Records Act), I hereby request all communications between Seattle City Light staff United States Department of Justice staff regarding requests for Doug Williams' inventory of surveillance equipment installed on Seattle utility poles, including but not limited to the communication to which Ms. Irwin referred in the aforementioned e-mail
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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Phil Mocek
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 19, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
Please see the attached email. I sent you an update to this request on May 18, 2016.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Sincerely,
STACY IRWIN | PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OFFICER
GENERAL MANAGER’S TEAM
[cid:image002.png@01D052AC.192A9CE0]
Stacy.irwin @ seattle.gov
TEL (206) 684-7998
From: Phil Mocek
Ms. Irwin:
Yesterday, on May 26, 2016, you replied a request I placed on May 19 with information about a different request. It has now been more than five business days since I placed that request, and you have not provided the records, notified that they do not exist, or estimated when you will provide them. Thus, you are in violation of the Public Records Act.
I am using a system that automatically files responses, and I have provided separate e-mail addresses for each request. For a list of all requests placed by me or by anyone else using this system (Muckrock), anyone can browse to <https://www.muckrock.com/agency/seattle-69/city-light-3540/>.
Cordially,
Phil Mocek
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
Please acknowledge this email as receipt to your public disclosure request dated May 19, 2016 as shown below. Please provide me a timeframe for which you are seeking records. After I hear back from you I will give you a date as to when you can expect responsive records.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
STACY IRWIN | PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OFFICER
GENERAL MANAGER’S TEAM
[cid:image002.png@01D052AC.192A9CE0]
Stacy.irwin @ seattle.gov
TEL (206) 684-7998
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image001
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
My apologies. I acknowledged this request about an hour ago and asked you to provide a timeframe for me.
Also, this request was dated May 19, 2016. Under RCW 42.56 we have 5 business days to respond, starting the day “after” the request was received which puts it at today, May 26, 2016.
After I hear back from you as to a timeframe, I will provide you with a date as to when you can expect records.
Thank you.
From: Phil Mocek
Dear Ms. Irwin,
Apology accepted. It was an understandable mistake for someone unfamiliar with this system to make.
As a courtesy, I am willing to narrow my request to "all communications on or after August 12, 2015, between Seattle City Light staff and United States Department of Justice staff regarding requests for Seattle City Light's inventory of surveillance equipment installed on Seattle utility poles." This is the date on which [I requested][1] from your agency records that included an August 4, 2015, e-mail from Seattle City Light Security Manager Doug Williams to multiple federal Seattle Police Department staff in which Mr. Williams referenced said list (Williams wrote, "Just let me know so I can add it to the list. As a reminder please let me know of new cameras and ones you take down. As always this is kept confidential.").
Cordially,
Phil Mocek
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
Thank you for the clarification. I estimate I can have an installment of records to you around June 29, 2016.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Regards,
STACY IRWIN | PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OFFICER
GENERAL MANAGER’S TEAM
[cid:image002.png@01D052AC.192A9CE0]
Stacy.irwin @ seattle.gov
TEL (206) 684-7998
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image001
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Public Records request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 19, 2016. You previously indicated that it would be completed on June 29, 2016. I wanted to let you know that I am still interested in the following documents, and to see if that date was still accurate.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
I am still processing your request and will have an installment of records to you around June 29, 2016, and will provide them sooner if possible.
Thank you,
STACY IRWIN | PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OFFICER
GENERAL MANAGER’S TEAM
[cid:image002.png@01D052AC.192A9CE0]
Stacy.irwin @ seattle.gov
TEL (206) 684-7998
-
image001
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
Pursuant to your public disclosure request dated May 19, 2016 for "All communications between Seattle City Light staff and United States Department of Justice staff regarding requests for Doug Williams' inventory of surveillance equipment installed on Seattle utility poles, including but not limited to the communication to which Ms. Irwin referred in the aforementioned e-mail (from Stacy to Mocek May 18, 2016)," I have attached responsive documents.
Please keep in mind that this does not include documents that I already provided to you on January 22, 2016 for "All communications between City of Seattle and third parties regarding the request for current and past versions of the list of surveillance equipment installed on utility poles to which Seattle City Light security manager Doug Williams referred in his August 4, 2015, e-mail to SCL, Seattle Police, ATF, and FBI that request. This should include but not be limited to the notification to United States Department of Justice to which Ms. Irwin referred."
I have only included documents from January 14, 2016 forward, which is the date of your last request for documents between City Light and third parties.
This completes City Light's response and closes your request.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Regards,
STACY IRWIN | PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OFFICER
GENERAL MANAGER'S TEAM
Stacy.irwin @ seattle.gov
TEL (206) 684-7998
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image001
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Public Records request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 19, 2016. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on June 29, 2016. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: SCL_CityLight_PDR
Dear Mr. Mocek,
Per your email below, please see the attached email. I sent this to you yesterday.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
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Public Disclosure Request
From: Phil Mocek
Dear Ms. Irwin,
Apologies for the spurious status update request. I did, indeed, receive your response on June 28, indicating completion of processing of this request.
Cordially,
Phil Mocek
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