E-correspondence regarding homeless laws, ordinances and policies
| Tracking # |
2014-044 |
| Submitted | May 14, 2014 |
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Communications
From: Aaron Cantú
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Florida's Sunshine Law (Fla. Stat. secs. 119.01 to 119.15 (1995)), I hereby request the following records:
All electronic correspondence between the mayor's office and the business improvement districts of the Greater Tampa Bay Metropolitan Area regarding laws, ordinances and enforcement policies that affect the homeless living in the city.
All electronic correspondence between the mayor's office and the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce regarding laws, ordinances and enforcement policies affecting the homeless living in the city.
All electronic correspondence between the mayor's office and the Tampa Bay International Business Council regarding laws, ordinances and enforcement policies affecting the homeless living in the city.
All electronic correspondence between the mayor's office and the Tampa Police Department regarding laws and enforcement policies affecting the homeless living in the city.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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 would request your response within ten (10) business days.
Sincerely,
Aaron Cantú
From: Jim Crew
Dear Mr. Cantú,
This is to acknowledge receipt of your request (copy attached) to provide you with public records held by the City of Tampa regarding the subject shown above. We are happy to provide any available records responsive to your request in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 119. In the event there is a fee for materials, research time or redaction services, this information will be provided to you as soon as it is available.
For clarification, are there specific dates for the records you are requesting (for example: "the past six months"... "from January 2013 to present"... etc.)? This may help to narrow the search, response time, and any related cost to you.
Also, regarding e-mails, the City maintains a back-up e-mail archive containing all city e-mails from at least January 2010 forward, to which our office (City Clerk) has access. If you have specific e-mail addresses and/or keywords you would like for us to enter, we would be happy to run a search of those as well.
Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions. Thanks, and have a good day.
Jim Crew
Public Records Coordinator
Office of the City Clerk
(813) 274-7080
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
The information contained in this email and accompanying attachments is intended only for the addressee(s) listed above. If you are not the intended recipient of this information, any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this information is strictly prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by return email or by calling (813) 274-7080. In addition, please note that, pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 119, this or any other written or electronic communication with this office may be subject to public disclosure unless expressly exempt.
For more information about the City of Tampa, please visit our website at www.tampagov.net<http://www.tampagov.net/>
From: Aaron Cantú
Dear Mr. Jim Crew,
Thank you for you for your response and assurances. In regard to your request for clarification, all relevant documents from January 2012 to present (May 2014) would be sufficient.
In regard to key words used to search emails, here is a sampling of words and phrases that could be used:
Homelessness
Homeless people
Homeless
Eliminate homelessness
End homelessness
Sec. 16-39. Sleeping, camping, or lodging
Section 16-39
Sec. 16-6. Trespassing
Section 16-6
Sec. 26-148. Prohibited acts
Section 26-148
Sec. 26-151. Scavenging
Section 26-151
Panhandlers
Panhandling/Soliciting
Transients
Transient behaviors
Vagrants
Winos
Drunks
Crack addicts
Lowlifes
Sheltered
Unsheltered
Self-sufficiency
Hand-up, not a hand out
Hand out
Hand-up
Clean up
Problem areas
Complaints homeless
The needy
Dirty homeless
Grimy homeless
Homeless veterans
Public urination
Public defecation
Tent homeless
Tent city
Sleeping on bench
Sleeping on sidewalk
Loitering homeless
Scavenging homeless
Vehicle homeless
Mental health homeless
Patrol homeless
Business homeless
Revenue homeless
Police homeless
The above list is not meant to exclude any other related search terms that may come to one's mind. Also, most permutations of the above words/phrases will likely be useful (for example, searching "homeless + trespassing").
Thank you very much. If you'd like to speak further, you can call me at 956-212-2417.
Have a great day,
Aaron
From: Jim Crew
Hi Mr. Cantú,
Upon coordinating with the Mayor's Office, there were approximately 800 pages of known available e-mails responsive to your subject request (copy attached), as clarified below. I am advised that the estimated time required for the applicable legal review of these items (to identify and redact any confidential or exempt content) would be approximately 3 hours.
Additionally, upon running a search of the City's ArcMail (back-up e-mail archive) system with several of the more specific terms you've provided (such as: "homeless", "panhandlers", "panhandling", "transient", and "vagrant", which would be included in many of the other phrases listed), there were approximately 4,400 e-mails To: or From: the Mayor's Office staff which contained these words. Many of these are general correspondence, such as Public Affairs NewClips, Newsletters, etc., the text of which include any of these terms. I am advised that the time required for the applicable legal review of these e-mails (which comprise approximately 3 GB) would be approximately 70 hours.
The estimated costs associated with the above listed items would be as follows:
- Estimated time for required legal review of known available responsive e-mails identified by Mayor's Office (approx. 800 pgs): approx. 3 hours @ $45.45/hr = $136.35;
- Estimated time for required legal review of approx. 4400 e-mails responsive to ArcMail search terms: approx. 70 hours @ $45.45/hr = $3,181.50;
- USB flash drive to download copies: $6.00;
Total estimated costs: $3,323.85 .
Please advise if you desire the City of Tampa to produce any of the records noted above, in which case we would request a deposit toward estimated costs in the amount of $70.00 if requesting only the known available responsive e-mails identified by the Mayor's Office; or, a deposit toward estimated costs in the amount of $1,650.00 if requesting all e-mails noted above. Any unused portion of this deposit would be refunded or additional amount billed upon availability of the records. (If by check, payment should be remitted to "City of Tampa" at: Office of the City Clerk, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd, Third Floor, Tampa, FL 33602)
We will await your response, and proceed accordingly. Thanks, and have a great day,
Jim
Jim Crew
Public Records Coordinator
Office of the City Clerk
From: Jim Crew
Hi Mr. Cantú,
To date we have received no response to our e-mail below, which informed you of available records found in response to your attached public records request. We will hold your request in an "open/pending" status thru June 26, 2014, after which, if no response is received, it will be considered "closed/withdrawn."
Please contact us with any questions you may have. Thanks, and have a good day.
Jim Crew
Public Records Coordinator
Office of the City Clerk
(813) 274-7080
From: Aaron Cantú
Hello,
I am currently in talks with outside organizations about covering the cost of fulfilling the request. I ask that the request remain open pending the outcome of these discussions. Thank you.
Take care,
Aaron
From: Jim Crew
No problem... Keep us posted of any change. Thanks,
Jim
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 14, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-044.
Thank you for your help.
From: Aaron Cantú
Hi Jim,
Please disregard the previous message -- it was an automated follow up communication.
At this time I will be able to cover the $136.35 for the known available responsive e-mails identified by Mayor's Office. Please inform me where, and in what form, I should send the payment.
Thanks so much for your help.
Best,
Aaron Cantú
From: Jim Crew
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your follow-up e-mail. As indicated, since this is a deposit toward estimated costs, we are requesting payment in the amount of $70.00 (approximately 50% of the estimated total), of which any balance due or refund owed would be settled upon completion of the necessary legal review. You can make check (or money order) payable to "City of Tampa" and mail to:
City of Tampa
Office of the City Clerk
315 E. Kennedy Blvd, Third Floor
Tampa, FL 33602
If you will note the Request # (2014-044) somewhere in your correspondence, that would be helpful. Thanks, and have a good day,
Jim
Jim Crew
Public Records Coordinator
Office of the City Clerk
From: City of Tampa, Mayor's Office
A cover letter granting the request and outlining any exempted materials, if any.
From: City of Tampa, Mayor's Office
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
From: Jim Crew
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for your deposit toward estimated costs re: your subject request (see attached). The actual final costs relating to your request are as follows:
- Time required for legal review of known available responsive e-mails identified by Mayor’s Office: 1.5 hours @ $45.45/hr = $68.18;
- 1 CD to download copies: @ $1 each = $1.00;
- Mailing cost: postage = $2.50;
Total cost: $71.68 .
Per your request, the CD with the downloaded copies of e-mails from the Mayor’s Office has been mailed to:
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 11739
PO Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205‐5819
As the total final cost in excess of your $70 deposit was minimal, and as a courtesy to you, we will consider your deposit as payment in full for the records provided. Thanks again, and have a great day,
Jim Crew
Public Records Coordinator
Office of the City Clerk
(813) 274-7080
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
The information contained in this email and accompanying attachments is intended only for the addressee(s) listed above. If you are not the intended recipient of this information, any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this information is strictly prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by return email or by calling (813) 274-7080. In addition, please note that, pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 119, this or any other written or electronic communication with this office may be subject to public disclosure unless expressly exempt.
For more information about the City of Tampa, please visit our website at www.tampagov.net<http://www.tampagov.net/>
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