http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article1071041.ece
GOOD LUCH WITH THAT PUBLIC RECORD
Transcript of 3 months' of e-mails about requested public documents
By Ben Montgomery, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Whether you know it or not, you, Joe Citizen, are allowed to inspect Florida's public records.
That includes all documents, papers, letters, maps, books or tapes "made or received
pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any
agency," with a few exceptions.
You also have a reasonable right of access to those documents, which means you're entitled
to a public record in the time it takes the agency to find the record, review it for exempt
information and provide you a copy. The government is allowed to charge you for its copying
and redacting.
But sometimes that process goes terribly wrong, as evidenced in the following exchange
between child advocate Cathy Corry and officials with the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Ben Montgomery, Times staff writer
Oct. 23
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson, DJJ public information officer
Hi Elisa,
Please provide e-copies of all documents written by Milton Mooneyham concerning the
02/11/07 Justin Caldwell incidents at Dozier School for Boys. This would include all reports,
emails, notes, correspondence, etc. to FDLE, Marianna Police Department, and all other
agencies, as well as DJJ internal documents.
Oct. 26
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Hi Cathy, Your request has been received. There will be a charge associated with this request
for redaction, MIS email search and copy. Also the information other than the emails may or
may not be provided electronically. If the reports are hard copy that's how they will be made
available to you.
Oct. 26
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Thanks Elisa — Please provide an estimate of the charge.
Oct 26
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Will do.
Oct. 29
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
When do you expect to have the estimate?
Oct. 29
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Hi Cathy, For the past few weeks the MIS server was down and had to be repaired now data
is being restored. Email research has been affected.
Nov. 6
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
It's been another week. Has the data been restored?
Nov. 6
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
FYI
Elisa, We are still re-indexing the files. We have finished indexing all of 2009 and 2008. It will
be sometime next week before we finish indexing all the files from 2007. The information
requested was from 2007. Sorry for the delay.
Nov. 12
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
What is the latest update on the 'indexing of the files'?
Nov. 16
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Elisa — What is the status of this public records request I submitted more than three weeks
ago?
Nov. 18
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
CC: Frank Penela, DJJ director of communications
Elisa or someone — Please provide an update to me about the below old public records
request.
Nov. 18
From: Frank Penela
To: Cathy Corry
Thanks Cathy. I will look into this today. Have a great day!
Nov. 19
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
Frank — What is the status of my records request after you looked into it yesterday? ~Cathy
Nov. 20
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
Frank — WHAT IS THE DELAY on this public records request I submitted four weeks ago?
Nov. 20
From: Frank Penela
To: Cathy Corry
My apologies. I spoke with Elisa Watson yesterday, and we are currently working with our IT
section to speed up the delay. As I understand, they had a "revamp" on database and there
have been some delays. I have asked Elisa to light a fire to accommodate this request. I can
assure you, we will do our best to make this happen as quickly as possible. Thank you for
you patience. Frank
Dec. 2
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
Frank, What has happened with the 'light a fire' from a couple of weeks ago? My request was
initiated October 23rd! ~Cathy
Dec. 7
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Hi Cathy, Please see the invoice below regarding your email request. The agency will not be
able accommodate your request for an e-copy of the emails because the child's name has to
be redacted.
Dec. 8
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Thanks Elisa. In today's mail, I sent a check for $83.47 deposit. Please confirm receipt of this
payment by end of week. ~Cathy
Dec. 15
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Hi Elisa — Please confirm receipt of my check mailed one week ago. Thanks, ~Cathy
Dec. 15
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
No check received.
Dec. 15
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Please ask Finance & Accounting if my check got misrouted there. Thanks.
Dec. 15
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
No check received there with your name on it.
Dec. 17
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
It's been nine days since I mailed my check. Did you receive it yet?
Dec. 18
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Nope, not yet.
Dec. 18
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
OK — I'll mail another check. Let me know if the other check arrives - it's check #184. Seems
too strange that it didn't get to you!
Dec. 30
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Elisa — Have you yet received one, or both, of the checks I mailed to DJJ? ~Cathy
Dec. 30
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Check #190 received.
Jan. 4
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
Elisa, I have sent $108.33, check #194, as the final payment for Invoice Number: 091861. What
is the timeframe for the collection and copying of the records? ~Cathy
Jan. 5
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
CC: Elisa Watson
Frank, What is the status of my records request, now that it's been one month since I mailed
the deposit check and 2 1/2 months since the initial records request. ~Cathy
Jan. 6
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Cathy, We have no record of a check received a month ago from you. As of today our office
has only received 1 check for $83.47 on 12/30/09. The printing and redaction has begun on
your request I will notify upon completion.
Jan. 21
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
Elisa / Frank — Re: Invoice #091861
A check I sent to you (that you said you did not receive) was cashed: $83.47 check #184
dated 12/08/09 was cashed 12/24/09
My replacement check (for above 'missing' check) was also cashed: $ 83.47 check #190
dated 12/21/09 was cashed 01/14/10
The check for final payment of invoice #091861 was cashed: $108.33 check #194 dated
12/31/09 was cashed 01/14/10
Please review this and issue a refund check to me.
Jan. 21
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
CC: Frank Penela
Cathy/Frank — I am forwarding this inquiry to Finance and Accounting. Check #184 was not
deposited by me so I need to find out what happened. I will request a refund of $83.47.
Jan. 21
From: Frank Penela
To: Elisa Watson
CC: Cathy Corry
Thank you Elisa.
Jan. 22
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
CC: Frank Penela
When will the refund check be mailed to me?
Jan. 22
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
Hi Cathy, Finance and Accounting is working with me on your request. I will update you on
Monday.
Jan. 26
From: Cathy Corry
To: Elisa Watson
CC: Frank Penela
Elisa — I didn't receive your 'Monday update'. It's Tuesday. What is the update? ~Cathy
Jan. 26
From: Elisa Watson
To: Cathy Corry
CC: Frank Penela
Your refund is being processed. You may receive it by early next week.
Jan. 26
From: Frank Penela
To: Cathy Corry
Cathy: The check is being Fedex'd today. Thank you.
Jan. 26
From: Cathy Corry
To: Frank Penela
CC: Elisa Watson
Do not waste our money (taxpayer $$) FedEx'ing the check to me. Just use a 44 cent stamp. If
you insist on spending $$, just mail me an extra $25 instead of paying FedEx the $25.
Jan. 26
From: Frank Penela
To: Cathy Corry
Cathy: I will look into this to see if it is possible to call it back. This was simply done in an
effort to expedite things for you. I will make sure to not do this in the future.
PostScript: On Jan. 27, Cathy Corry received a FedEx package containing her $83.47 refund
check. She fired off one final e-mail to a reporter: "What a waste!"
[Last modified: Feb 06, 2010 09:12 PM]