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From YouTube: City of Groton Special C.O.W. - 7/15/19
Description
City of Groton municipal meeting: Special Committee of the Whole - July 15, 2019. To access the agenda for this meeting click on the link below.
http://cityofgroton.com/event/special-committee-of-the-whole-agenda-9/?instance_id=2786
B
A
So,
just
so
that
everyone
knows
this
is
a
Freedom
of
Information
Act
training
I
wanted
to
have
training
for
new
counselors
and
for
any
boards
and
commission
members
have
wanted
to
come
to
this.
So
we've
invited
Tom
Hanaka
from
the
Freedom
of
Information
area
out
of
the
out
of
the
state
of
Connecticut
to
come
and
give
training
he
is,
he
is
the
trainer,
and
some
of
you
may
have
been
through
Tom's
training
before,
but
it
is
very
informational
and
this
training
will
help
keep
us
out
of
trouble.
A
D
You,
mayor,
hello,
everybody.
How
are
you
tonight
good?
Thank
you
for
inviting
me.
We
really
love
doing
these
sessions.
We
go
all
over
the
state
to
do
them,
and
particularly
please
when
you
asked
us
to
come.
It's
shows
that
you're
interested
in
doing
things
the
right
way
following
the
law.
Learning
a
little
bit
more
I
try
to
keep
my
sessions
informal.
So
as
we
go
along
ask
questions,
you
know
you
may
be
going
along
and
I
may
say
something
you
say:
wait
a
minute:
we
don't
do
it.
D
D
The
reason
I
share
that
with
you
is
that
I'm
not
here
to
give
you
any
binding
legal
opinions
or
any
anything
that
is
an
order
or
a
command.
The
idea
again
is
to
teach
to
give
you
some
of
the
tools
to
work
with,
so
that
freedom
of
information
is
something
that
becomes
sort
of
second
nature.
It's
not
something
you
have
to
worry
about.
You
do
what
you
need
to
do
to
do
the
work
that
you're,
either
elected
or
assigned
to
do
with
the
different
boards
and
commissions
that
you're
on
and
not
have
to
worry
about.
D
D
You'll
probably
get
me
so
now
you
have
a
face
to
put
the
voice
on
the
other
end
of
the
phone
I
get
I'm
on
the
phone
a
lot,
so
you
may
get
voicemail,
but
you
will
attest
that
I
will
call
you
back.
You
will
get
a
call
back
and
I'll.
Give
me
an
answer.
It
may
not
be
the
answer
you
want,
but
it's
something
I'm.
You
know
that
you
can
work
with
to
go
forward
when,
when
we
talk
about
Freedom
of
Information,
we
sort
of
have
to
give
a
little
bit
of
history.
D
This
is
the
law
in
the
state
of
Connecticut.
This
is
something
that
is
required
of
every
public
agency
in
Connecticut,
it's
44
years
old.
It
was
Ella
Grasso,
those
brainchild
when
she
ran
for
for
the
first
time.
If
you
do,
the
math
44
years
ago
puts
us
right
smack
in
the
middle
of
Watergate.
We
had
a
country
that
was
in
turmoil
a
country
that
was
concerned.
D
She
was
in
Congress
representing
her
district,
and
she
said
you
know
if
I
get
elected
governor
if
I
do
this
one
of
the
first
things
we're
gonna
do
is
we're
gonna,
create
an
open
government
law
and,
as
you
know,
she
ran
and
she
won,
and
that
literally
is
one
of
the
first
things
she
did
in
1975
and
she
did
something
else,
that's
kind
of
interesting
and
if
you're
you
know
at
all
into
politics,
she
sort
of
stood
up
and
said.
This
is
really
important.
D
Stuff,
folks
and
I
will
see
to
it
that
this
law
is
approved
unanimously
by
our
legislature.
Have
you
ever
watched
the
legislature
right?
Can
you
imagine
guaranteeing
a
unanimous
vote
on
this
or
on
anything?
Well,
she
guaranteed
it
and
I'm
here
to
tell
you
she
got
it.
I've
seen
a
video.
There
was
not
a
single,
no
vote
with
the
house,
not
a
single,
no
vote
in
the
Senate.
This
law
passed
into
being
unanimously
now
other
than
being
interesting.
It
shows
you
first
of
all
how
important
it
was
then
how
important
it
remains.
Today.
D
Government
works
best
in
the
sunlight,
transparent
government,
but
also
it
gives
us
a
little
insight
as
to
why
we
have
to
do
these
sessions
because
to
get
to
that
point
where
everybody
was
voting,
yes,
can
you
imagine
the
conversations
behind
closed
doors?
Can
you
imagine
the
arm-twisting
the
well
I
like
this
and
I?
Don't
like
that,
so
you
have
a
law.
That's
based
on
a
pretty
simple,
easy
condom
concept.
Do
your
business
in
public!
D
But
if
you
try
to
read
it,
has
anybody
tried
to
read
it
even
a
paragraph
or
two
right,
sometimes
your
eyes
roll
to
the
back
of
your
head.
You
know
it's
like
what
do
they
mean
what
my
intuition
says
this
and
then
well,
that's
because
to
get
there
that
everybody
was
voting.
Yes,
there
had
to
be
compromised
and
they
left
some
things
open
so
that
it's
not
black
and
white
so
that
it's
open
to
interpretation
and
surprise
gets.
Who
has
to
do
that?
Those
of
you
who
are
on
the
front
lines?
D
She
should
be
an
executive
session.
I,
don't
know
to
be
good
when,
when
is
the
meeting
notice
too,
you
know
Deb
helped
us
out
with
that.
You
know
those
sort
of
things
you
have
to
make
these
decisions
and
you're
gonna
make
it
based
on
your
best
information
based
on
what
you
think
is
the
right
thing
to
do,
and
there
may
be
somebody
on
the
other
side
of
the
issue
who
disagrees
because
it's
subject
to
interpretation.
D
Another
thing
this
law
did
was
create
the
Freedom
of
Information
Commission,
which
is
where
I
work
and
if
people
believe
they've
been
denied
what
this
law
gives
them
the
right
to
have
the
access
they've
been
denied,
they
file
a
complaint
with
the
FOI
Commission
and
the
Commission
ultimately,
is
the
judge
of
whether
or
not
you've
done
the
right
thing.
The
city
of
Groton
has
a
meeting
goes
into
executive
session.
Someone
says
that
wasn't
right:
they
should
have
done
that
they
file
a
complaint
with
the
etheline
Commission.
D
D
If
you
don't
like
the
decision
that
the
Commission
makes
you
can
appeal
it,
you
can
take
it
all
the
way
to
the
state
Supreme
Court,
so
it
requires
some
thought
it
requires
you
to
have
the
tools
to
work
with
so
that
you
operate
in
a
proper
fashion
and
it
requires
you
to
just
move
forward
thinking,
okay,
we're
going
to
do
our
I
told
you
that
it's
44
years
old
and
it
is
called
Freedom
of
Information.
It's
really,
however,
about
two
things:
it's
about
access
to
public
meetings
and
access
to
public
records.
D
Now,
for
you
all
tonight,
I'm
gonna
focus
more
on
the
meetings
provisions.
I'll,
give
you
a
little
bit
about
Records,
because
typically
records
request,
wind
up
being
handled
by
staff.
They
don't
usually
go
through
wards
volunteer
boards
and
commissions,
but
I
will
also
just
sort
of
share.
Another
thing
with
you,
I
told
you
I
wasn't
an
attorney
a
lot
of
times
when
I
do
these
sessions,
especially
the
evening
sessions.
People
are
here,
you're,
all
volunteers
right.
D
So
when
you
go
to
the
local
restaurants,
to
give
you
a
big
hug-
and
they
say
thanks
for
all
you're
doing
for
our
town
in
our
city,
right,
free
food,
free
drinks,
right
right,
all
right
people
say
Tom,
you
don't
get
it.
You
don't
understand
we're
volunteers,
we
didn't
sign
up
for
this
foi
stuff.
Just
for
the
record.
I
do
understand.
D
I
was
on
a
board
in
my
town
for
ten
years,
I
was
the
chairman
for
the
last
five
I,
get
it
you're
doing
something
else
during
the
day,
and
then
it's
basically
like
a
second
full-time
job,
sometimes
especially
during
a
busy
season
and
for
some
reason
well,
I
was
asked
to
fill
out
the
term
on
another
board,
because
the
person
left
town
for
health
reasons
and
so
I'm
back
on
another
board
right
now,
so
I
do
get
it.
I
really
do
truly
understand
what
it's
like.
D
There's
a
temptation
to
say:
well,
that's
not
how
we
do
it
at
the
bank
or
that
sound
like
we
do
it
at
the
intern.
You
have
to
remember
it's
a
public
agency
by
definition
and
that's
how
you
have
to
move
going
forward.
So
access
to
meetings
and
access
to
records,
one
of
the
first
things
I
always
tell
people
is
it
says,
freedom
of
information,
but
that
just
kind
of
sounds
better.
You
know
it's
not
really
about
free
information.
D
D
It's
not
really
about
answering
questions,
it's
about
coming
to
the
meetings
and
watching
you
all
do
your
work
or
it's
getting
the
records
where
the
information
is
contained
and
learning
for
yourself,
but
you're
not
really
the
answer.
People,
although
listen
for
public
servants,
we're
going
to
answer
questions
when.
E
D
If
possible,
but
at
some
point,
you're
allowed
to
say,
look
I'm
not
comfortable.
Ask
answering
that
I'm,
not
sure
of
the
answer
for
that
I'll
come
to
the
meeting
and
listen
to
how
it
goes
a
lot
of
times.
When
I
do
these
sessions.
People
say
you
know
you
should
really
sort
of
stop
the
freedom
of
information
stuff.
You
should
really
maybe
put
together
an
hour
stand-up
to
show
people.
You
know
because
think
about
working
at
the
Freedom
of
Information
Commission
people
think
we,
the
Information
Center
for
the
entire
state
of
Connecticut.
D
They
call
us
up
with
with
all
kinds
of
questions.
Thinking
that
all
we
have
to
do
is
snap
our
fingers
and
how
come
the
answer
is
now
it's
about
access
to
records.
They
think
that
we
sit
in
this
giant
vault,
with
every
record
held
by
every
agency
in
the
state
of
Connecticut.
All
I
have
to
do
is
push
a
button
and
send
it
out.
I.
Take
calls
like
that
and
emails
like
that
daily
I
took
a
call
just
to
give
you
an
example
a
couple
weeks
ago
from
a
gentleman
he
says.
D
Can
you
get
me
a
copy
of
my
naturalization
papers?
I
said:
isn't
that
kind
of
like
a
federal
thing?
No,
he
says
yeah
it
is
I
went
to
them.
Then
we're
gonna
charge
me
$500
I
thought.
Maybe
you
had
an
extra
copy
lying
around.
No,
the
FOI
Commission
is
not
a
repository
for
records.
That's
that's
not
we
do
so.
We
have
to
explain
to
people
what
the
laws
about
and
you
may
have
that
happen
to
you.
I,
don't
know
a
full
house
at
a
meeting.
D
D
Here's
the
bottom
line
any
time
you
gather
to
do
your
work
in
any
way,
shape
or
form.
Consider
it
a
meeting
and
make
sure
you've
properly
noticed
it
make
sure
it's
open
to
the
public
and
make
sure
there
are
minutes
when
the
meeting
is
done.
All
too
often
I'll
get
something
like
this
I'll
say:
Tom.
We
just
got
together
informal.
You
know
we
went
out
for
dinner
or
just
chatting
and
we
took.
D
We
took
care
of
a
couple
of
things:
don't
do
it
if
it's
not
noticed,
if
that's
the
meeting
and
I
guarantee
it
when
that
happen,
when
you
do
that
the
wrong
person
sitting
in
the
next
booth
I
guarantee
it,
it
never
fails.
Well,
we're
gonna
form
a
little
subcommittee.
The
subcommittee
is
not
the
full
board
that
way.
D
We
don't
have
to
worry
about
freedom
of
information
and
whenever
I
hear
that
I
get
very
nervous,
because
if
you're
not
worrying
about
it,
you're
you're
setting
yourself
up
for
a
real
problem
in
foi
fire
is
what
I
call
it
subcommittees.
Are
public
agencies
too,
as
defined
by
the
law?
I,
didn't
read
you
the
definition
of
a
public
agency,
which
is
what
this
law
applies
to,
but
there's
a
phrase
in
there
that
says,
including
any
committee
of
or
created
by.
D
D
Now
that
was
a
little
trickier
in
that
there
is
an
appellate
court
ruling
in
Connecticut
that
says
no
quorum,
no
meeting
there's
also
an
appellate
court
ruling
in
Connecticut,
says
no
quorum,
you're
still
having
a
meeting
can't
make
it
up
think
about
it,
the
appellate
court.
You
know
next
to
the
next
to
the
Supreme
Court.
The
highest
court
in
the
state
basically
tells
us
the
opposite
thing.
So
what
people
call
up
and
ask
about
the
quorum
issue?
I
have
to
tell
them
there
are
situations
where
even
absent
a
quorum.
D
It
could
be
a
meeting
if
you're
conducting
for
it
business.
So
don't
automatically
assume
no
quorum.
No
meeting
now
you
might
say
well.
Why
does
that
somebody
decide
that
the
court
actually
went
to
this?
The
case
went
to
the
Supreme
Court
a
few
years
ago,
and
they
gave
oral
arguments
to
try
to
you
know
come
up
with
a
solution.
The
Supreme
Court
heard
those
oral
arguments
and
then
said
you
know
what
the
fancy
words
we
have
improvidently
taken
up
this
matter.
You
guys
figure
it
out
and
let
both
ruling
stand.
D
So
when
people
call
and
ask
that
question
the
honest
answer
is,
it
could
still
be
a
mean.
The
most
current
most
recent
case
involves
the
city
of
Merida.
They
sat
in
a
room
like
this
and
it
was
they
call
themselves
the
Executive
Committee
of
their
Council,
and
they
were
doing
something
really
important.
They
were
putting
together
a
committee
to
look
for
a
new
Town
Manager.
The
reporter
walked
in
the
room
by
the
way.
This
is
something
I
would
advise
you
against.
If
a
reporter
walks
in
the
room,
they
said
what
are
you
doing
here?
D
He
said.
Well
you.
This
looks
like
a
meeting
said:
no,
it's
not
get
out
well
that
immediately
I
paraphrase,
but
that
was
that
was
it
that's
what
happened
so
he's
saying
what
were
they
doing
so
he
investigates
a
little
bit
finds
out
what
they
were
doing
and
files
a
complaint
with
the
foi
commission
and
their
only
rationale
for
not
noticing
that
doing
in
public
was
that
it
wasn't
a
quorum,
they're
just
rock-solid
sure
no
quorum.
We
don't
have
to
worry
about
foi.
Well,
surprise.
D
Complaint
goes
to
the
commission
of
the
Commission
says:
no,
that
that
was
a
meeting,
because
even
though
there
was
no
quorum,
you
were
doing
something
really
important.
The
public
had
a
right
to
know.
They
appealed
that
and
the
Superior
Court
has
upheld
the
foi
commission
decision
saying
no
quorum,
no
meaning
in
that
instance.
That
was
a
meeting.
They
then
took
it
to
the
appellate
court.
They
obviously
didn't
like
the
ruling
and
arguments
have
been
made
before
the
appellate
court.
D
D
D
Meetings
outlined
in
the
FOI
Act
there's
a
regular
meeting,
there's
a
special
meeting,
which
is
what
this
is,
and
there
is
an
emergency
meeting.
Regular
meeting
is
a
meeting
that
you
have
for
a
schedule
that
you
submit
to
your
town
clerk
by
the
end
of
January
of
every
year.
I
suspect
you've
all
been
through
that
you've
done
it.
When
are
we
gonna
meet
vs.
first
and
third
Tuesday?
D
Second,
fourth:
Wednesday
7:00
o'clock
council
chamber,
whatever
that
is
that's
when
you're
scheduled
to
be
special
meeting,
is
a
meeting
that
happens
when
you're
not
scheduled
to
me
now
a
lot
of
people
see
that
word
special
and
they
get
all
worked
up
and
they
say.
Oh,
we
can
only
do
this.
Only
do
that
you
can
do
anything
you
want
to
do
in
a
special
meeting.
D
You
can
talk
about
anything
and
if
it's
not
on
the
agenda,
you
can
make
a
motion
and
add
it
to
the
agenda
by
two-thirds
vote
of
those
board
members
who
impress
it
so
something
comes
up
and
the
Chairman
says:
is
there
any
other
business?
Yes,
this
isn't
on
the
agenda.
I'd
like
to
talk
about
it,
but
at
a
special
meeting
you
can't
talk
about
anything,
that's
not
on
that
agenda.
D
So
if
something
is
on
a
special
meeting
agenda,
you
can
even
do
anything
you
need,
but
if
it's
not
on
there,
you
can't
add
to
the
agenda.
So
when
you
prepare
an
agenda
for
a
special
meaning
items
like
other
business,
old
business,
new
business
or
pointless,
unless
there's
something
underneath
it
at
a
regular
meeting,
you
can
say:
is
there
any
other
business
and
add
it?
D
But
at
the
the
special
meeting
you
can't
so
so
they're,
basically
the
same,
except
for
that
that
one
contingency
there,
the
third
kind
of
meeting
the
emergency
meeting
folks,
that's
a
meeting
that
I
would
really
discourage
you
not
to
use
emergency
meeting
is
an
unnoticed
meeting
and
the
law
really
wants
as
much
to
be
done
in
public
as
possible.
The
problem,
while
one
of
the
problems
is
that
what
you
and
I
think
might
be
an
emergency
doesn't
necessarily
rise
to
that
level
in
the
eyes
of
the
law.
D
You
know
we,
we
have
these
sort
of
non
legal
ideas
as
to
what
an
emergency
is
and
the
law
sets
that
bar
really
high.
It
doesn't
want
you
to
meet
without
notice.
I
I'm
in
my
19th
year
at
the
FOI
Commission
I
can
tell
you
this.
In
all
honesty,
this
has
happened.
Every
single
one
of
those
19
years,
I'm
a
Tuesday
for
some
reason.
After
Martin
Luther
King's
birthday,
maybe
it's
because
it's
close
to
some
of
the
other
holidays.
The
phone
will
ring
on
that
Tuesday
morning
and
it
goes
something
like
this.
D
Tom
I've
got
a
problem.
What's
the
problem,
our
regular
meeting
is
tonight
Tuesday
night
I
always
put
our
agenda
in
on
Monday
without
fail.
I
forgot.
We
were
closed
yesterday,
so
I
put
it
in
this
morning.
Is
that
okay?
Well,
if
you
do
the
math,
it's
not
24
hours,
it's
not
okay,
so
I
say
you
would
best
be
advised
to
have
the
meeting
24
hours
later.
No,
no
we've
got
way
too
much
to
do.
I
don't
know
if
I
can
get
everybody
together,
we'll
have
it
tonight.
It's
an
emergency.
E
D
An
emergency
but
the
law
doesn't
doesn't
look
at
it.
That
way.
My
advice
to
them
is
to
always,
you
know,
be
smart
and
wait.
24
hours,
people
say
well,
what's
the
big
deal
what's
going
to
happen?
I
have
one
sort
of
large
example
as
to
why
you
maybe
want
to
be
thinking
twice
about
doing.
This
happened
over
in
Ridgefield
the
other
side
of
the
state.
D
Then
he
finds
out
that
the
rumor
is
false.
He
ain't
gonna
be
the
next
chief.
Then
he
gets
really
angry.
He
storms
into
the
First
Selectman
office
one
afternoon,
it's
a
Friday
afternoon
and
they
start
screaming
and
yelling.
And
how
could
you
do
this
to
me?
This
is
terrible,
is
AMA
things
getting.
You
know,
swept
off
desks
off
first
selectmen,
still
in
this
guy
for
years
you
know
calms
him
down,
he
says,
look
you're,
not
gonna,
be
the
next
chief
I
tell
you
what
will
make
you,
the
interim
chief
while.
D
And
that's
the
best
I
can
do
guys,
not
happy,
he
leaves
well,
you
can
imagine
you're
a
small
town.
I
live
in
a
small
town.
It
doesn't
take
very
long
for
word
about
that.
You
know
blow
up
to
get
out
and
the
texts
start
flying
in
and
the
emails.
The
phone
starts
ringing,
and
this
is
terrible.
This
is
horrible,
he
threatened
you.
He
was
a
danger
to
you.
D
We
got
to
do
some
about
this,
so
the
first
light
one
thinks
about
he
says:
well,
maybe
so
so
he
decides
he's
gonna
have
an
emergency
morning
the
next
morning,
Saturday
morning
he
brings
in
his
board.
He
says
what
do
you
guys
think
about
this
and
they
had
all
heard
about
it
and
they
said
you
know
what
he's
no
good.
Let's
get
rid
of
okay,
good,
all
in
favor
of
hope
they
fire
they
fire
him
on
the
spot
Saturday
morning.
So
now
they.
D
They,
you
know
he's
not
in
his
office
he's
somewhere,
you
turns
out.
He
was
like
on
his
roof
cleaning
his
gutters
or
something
like
that.
Come
on
down
Braverman
got
the
leaves
hanging
out
of
his
hair,
the
RIP
sweatshirt
the
whole
thing
they
bring
him
down
to
Town
Hall
thanks
for
coming
in
you're
fired
he
explodes
all
over
again.
You
blankety-blank
scared
fire
me.
This
is
terrible.
This
is
horrible,
screamin
and
Yellin.
He
storms
up
besides
as
he
as
he's
walking
out
the
door.
D
You
can't
fire
me
because
I
quit,
so
they
reconvened
the
emergency
man
and
accept
his
resignation.
So
he
thinks
about
it.
A
little
bit.
He
says,
wait
a
minute.
What
was
the
emergency?
Why
couldn't?
They
have
noticed?
This
thing?
Had
a
you
know,
Monday,
even
so
that
at
least
people
could
know.
What's
going
on,
I
could
defend
myself
so
files
a
complaint
with
the
foi
commission,
the
commission.
Here's
all
the
testimony.
D
Evidences
says
you
know
what
there
was
no
emergency
there
and
they
find
in
favor
of
the
fire
chief
or
former
firefighter
system
IG,
and
they
invoke
one
of
the
strongest
powers
that
the
Commission
has,
which
is
to
declare
null
and
void
everything
that
happened
at
that
meeting.
So
basically,
he
now
was
fired,
and/or
quitted,
a
meeting
that
didn't
happen,
not
the
end
of
the
story,
because
Richfield
didn't
like
that
decision
and
appealed
it
all
the
way
to
the
state,
Supreme
Court.
D
Ultimately,
the
state
Supreme
Court
upheld
the
Commission's
decision
and
said
we
to
declare
null
and
void
what
happened
at
that
meeting.
Now,
if
you're
familiar
with
the
court
process,
it
wasn't.
You
know,
five
days
later,
it
was
more
like
five
years
later,
so
think
about
it.
This
happens
here,
five
or
six
years
later,
oh
I
heard
somebody
say
it.
D
There
are
situations
with
his
health
care
and
and
if
he
had
been
retired
or
you
know,
moved
on,
he
would
have
one
thing
but
because
he
was
fired,
he
didn't
get
it.
Oh,
it
was
a
mess
and
so
I
tell
people
that
story,
and
they
said
well,
so
it's
all
settled
now
right.
It
actually
took
two
years
after
the
court
system.
It's
almost
like
seven
or
eight
years
after
they
had
that
meeting.
They
were
still
fighting
to
think
of
the
legal
fees.
Think
of
that
think
of
the
tension
in
town.
D
The
agita
I
mean,
oh,
my
goodness,
all
because
they
didn't
wait
24
hours.
So
is
that
gonna
happen
every
time
you
mess
up
a
meeting?
No,
but
if
you're
thinking
that
it's
no
big
deal,
you
know,
let's
suppose
you
have
a
budget
and
you
and
you
set
your
budget
and
someone
decides
that
they
don't
like
it
and
you've
done
it
wrong.
You
haven't
noticed
it
properly
or
something
like
that.
D
Basically,
it's
keeping
people
safe,
I
was
down
in
Stonington
back
in
April,
and
you
all
probably
heard
about
this
that
the
during
one
of
those
horrible
rainstorms
it
seems
like
there
was
one
every
other
day
there
was
a
factory
building
and
set
on
a
body
of
water
and
it
started
crumbling
into
the
water
they
needed
to
meet.
Then
they
couldn't
wait
24
hours
they
needed
to
meet
on
the
spot,
to
get
fire
and
police
in
place
to
block
off
roads
and
do
things
like
that
to
keep
people
out
of
harm's
way.
That's
an
emergency.
D
If
you
have
a
situation
like
that,
if
you
ever
do
I
hope
you
never
do
you
meet,
you
do
what
you
have
to
do
and
within
72
hours
you
create
minutes
that
reflect
what
the
emergency
was.
Who
was
there
and
what
you
did
about
it?
But
again
the
best
option
is
to
wait
24
hours.
If
you
have
any
questions
or
any
doubt
at
all,
what
you
should
do
the
law
says
make
sure
your
meetings
are
open
to
the
public.
D
So
if
somebody
wanders
in
here
tonight,
you
don't
say
wait
a
minute
you're
from
Groton
town,
not
from
around
the
city,
get
out.
You
know
you
can't
you
can't
do
that.
Anybody
can
come
in
anybody
can
audio
or
video
tape
a
meeting.
No,
that
is
less
of
an
issue
today
because
you
know
we're
on
a
lot.
So
many
of
you
record
your
meetings,
but
still
I
have
some
boards
for
their
camera-shy.
D
They
want
people
to
turn
them
off
and
the
other
thing
that
I
don't
really
love
about
that
provision
is
that
they
don't
have
to
tell
you
let's
face
it,
we're
all
videographers.
Today
we
pull
our
phones
out,
we
can't
record,
or
so,
if
you're
at
a
table
and
a
meeting,
my
advice
is
always
to
say
you
know
what
somebody
could
be
recording.
This
common
decency
would
tell
me
you
know
please.
E
D
D
Doesn't
do
is
guarantee
anybody
the
right
to
speak
at
a
public
meeting.
A
lot
of
people
think
that
it
does
they
come
to
meetings
and
they
say
I'm
going
to
that
meeting.
Cuz
I
want
to
give
them
a
piece
of
my
mind.
Well,
that's
all
well
and
good,
but
if
you
decide
they're
not
going
to,
they
don't
have
the
right
to
demand
to
speak
at
a
meeting.
D
So
if
you
have
a
situation
where
the
room
is
packed
and
everybody
has
a
lot
to
say-
and
you
say
you
know
what
we'll
never
get
through
this
tonight-
two
minute
limit
perfectly
okay
or
we
took
we've-
taught
this
issue
to
death
the
last
month.
We're
not
going
to
talk
about
it
again.
I
mean
there
are
ramifications
politically.
You
know
in
town
and
stuff
like
that,
but
that's
up
to
you,
you
get
to
make
those
choices.
D
How
you
control
public
speaking,
who
speaks
when
they
speak,
is
really
entirely
in
your
hands
and
and
some
people
are
really
shocked
when
they
call
up,
they
said
I
went
to
the
damn
meeting
last
night.
They
wouldn't
let
me
speak
blah
blah
blah.
You
know
it's
not
an
FOI
violation
there
there
may
be
other
things
at
play.
You
may
have
something
in
a
charter
or
bylaws.
D
That
say
you
know
you
have
public
comment
but
you're
not
violating
foi,
if
you,
if
you
shut
down
or
limit
public
speaking
in
any
way,
so
we're
talking
about
making
sure
that
your
boards
and
your
commissions
are
operating
in
public
so
that
people
can
come
and
watch.
There
are
obviously
a
couple
paths
that
you
can
take
to
exclude
the
public,
I,
assume,
you're,
all
veterans
or
you've
been
around
long
enough
to
know
that
there's
something
called
an
executive
session.
D
The
executive
session
folks
is
a
portion
of
a
publicly
noticed
open
meeting.
It's
not
a
separate
thing.
It's
not!
You
know
something
you
do
on
the
side.
You
still
need
to
notice.
Let's
suppose
you've
got
a
meeting
and
the
only
item
is
an
executive
session
item.
You
still
notice
it.
You
still
put
in
your
notice
at
least
24
hours
in
advance.
Your
agenda
says
executive
session
for
the
purpose
of,
and
you
outline
what
that
is
now
I'll
get
to
that
a
second.
You
convene
call
the
meeting
to
order.
D
Somebody
makes
the
motion
you
vote
to
go
into
that
executive
session.
You
discuss
that
item
for
as
long
as
you
want.
You
can
stay
in
that
session
as
long
as
you
want,
but
never
ever
ever
ever.
Take
action
behind
closed
doors
always
come
out
of
that
executive
session
to
vote
so
you're
in
executive
session.
You
have
your
conversation.
You
come
out.
You
vote
obviously
needs
to
be
recorded.
Every
vote
that
you
take
needs
to
be
recorded
in
the
minutes,
needs
to
reflect,
who
votes
for
what
or
for
whom.
D
So
the
five
specific
reasons
for
an
executive
session,
a
personnel
matter
pending
claims,
pending
litigation,
a
security
matter,
a
land
transaction.
You
are
on
a
school
building
committee,
you're,
adding
on
to
an
elementary
school
you're,
building
a
new
middle
school
or
something
like
that
and
you're
negotiating
with
property
owners
system.
D
You
know
different
parcels
of
land,
how
much
you're
going
to
pay
your
reviewing
I,
don't
know
sight
lines
and
traffic
studies,
and
things
like
you
know,
and
all
of
that
you
could
do
a
lot
of
that
behind
closed
doors,
because
you
wouldn't
want
everybody
to
know
what
kind
of
dollars
you
were
throwing
around.
You
try
to
get
the
best
deal
for
the
town,
so
you
can
have
those
kinds
of
negotiations
behind
closed
doors.
The
fifth
reason
for
an
executive
session
is
a
little
broader
something
of
a
catch-all.
D
It
allows
a
border
Commission
to
have
a
conversation
about
a
document
or
documents
that
it
believes
are
exempt
from
disclosure.
Any
of
you
want
boards
to
deal
with
bids
or
rfp's
there's
an
exemption
in
the
FOI
Act.
That
says
you're
allowed
to
withhold
the
contents
of
a
bid
package
or
RFP.
So,
let's
suppose
you
are
a
board
of
education
and
you
put
your
transportation
contract
out
to
bid
and
all
the
different
bus
companies.
D
You
know
the
debt
Co
first
student,
Durham
services,
I,
don't
know
who
operates
down
here,
but
you
get
the
idea
they
all
put
in
bid
packages
and
the
board
was
to
review
them
before
it
makes
a
decision
because
it
hasn't
released
the
content
of
those
packages
that
are
exempt
it's
a
temporal
exemption
until
the
contract
is
signed,
take
them
into
executive
session
study
and
go
over
them.
You
know
ritmo
Park,
put
what
everything
and
then
come
out
to
vote.
You
could
do
that.
Let's
suppose
you
ask
your
attorney
for
a
written
legal
opinion.
D
You
are
the
client.
The
written
legal
opinion
is
covered
by
the
attorney-client
privilege,
so
you're
able
to
take
that
written
opinion
as
the
client
go
into
executive
session.
To
talk
about
that
written
advice
that
your
attorney
has
given
you
that's
something
you
could
do
an
executive
session.
That's
just
a
couple
examples,
but
if
you've
got
you
know
an
exempt
document
that
the
board
needs
to
talk
about,
that's
a
vehicle
to
do
it.
I
want
to
back
up
to
the
first
three
that
I
talked
about
the
executive
session
for
personnel.
D
First
of
all,
when
you
put
together
an
agenda
or
a
motion,
do
not
just
say
executive
session
personnel
or
personnel
matter,
the
courts
have
come
down
very
hard
on
boards
and
commissions
for
going
that
route.
You
have
to
say
more
executive
session
discussion
of
a
park
and
Rec
employee
discussion
of
a
police
officer,
discussion
of
a
teacher.
You
don't
necessarily
have
to
name
the
individual,
but
the
law
is
very
clear.
D
You
have
to
have
more
than
just
personnel
and
the
balance
is
something
you
can
create
if
you're,
if
you're
a
you,
know,
Police
Commission
and
you're
gonna
talk
about
the
chief.
Well,
there's
only
one
of
them,
so
you
might
as
well
put
the
name.
You
know
what
I
mean,
but
but
if
it's
multiple
employees,
discussion
of
the
performance
of
a
Public,
Works
employee,
you
know
something
like
that.
You
could
do
that.
D
You
want
to
make
sure
that
if
you're
talking
about
an
individual
that
he
or
she
has
given
notice
in
advance,
you
must
tell
the
person
in
advance
that
you're
gonna
talk
about
him
in
executive
session.
They
then
have
the
right
to
come
forward
and
say
no,
no!
Wait!
A
minute
no
executive
session
I
want
that
done
in
public
I
want
that
done
in
the
open,
so
that
everybody
can
hear
it.
And
if
that
happens,
if
the
person
sticks
to
that,
you
cannot
go
into
executive
session.
That
is
the
individuals
right.
D
The
individual
does
not
have
the
right
to
do,
and
many
people
think
that
they
do
is
to
demand
to
enter
the
executive
session
with
you.
So,
in
other
words,
you're
talking
about
me,
you're,
going
into
executive
session
I
demand
to
go
in
the
room
with
you.
The
person
does
not
have
that
right.
The
person
only
has
the
right
to
demand
open
discussion.
So
if
they
waive
that
right
to
the
open
discussion-
and
you
want
to
go
in
an
executive
session-
it's
your
call-
it
becomes
the
board's
call
whether
or
not
the
individual
is
invited.
D
In
now
many
many
times
you
invite
the
person
in
to
have
a
discussion,
but
you're
never
ablated.
To
do
that.
A
board
isn't
was
allowed
to
invite
in
whomever
it
wants
to
give
evidence
to
give
testimony
to
have
a
conversation
to
find
out
things,
but
it's
never
required
to
bring
anybody
in
the
only
people
have
a
legal
right
immediately
to
be
in
the
executive
session.
Are
members
of
the
board?
Okay,
the
executive
session
for
pending
claims
and
pending
litigation
is
pretty
much
what
it
sounds
like
it's
it's
a
conversation
about
a
lawsuit
you've
been
sued.
D
You've
been,
you
know,
there's
a
grievance,
there's
an
FOI
complaint.
You
want
to
talk
about
your
strategy.
You
have
a
right
to
do
that
behind
closed
doors,
it's
a
little
broader
in
that
it
allows
a
Porter
Commission
to
have
a
conversation
about
taking
legal
action.
Yes,
I
heard
somebody
say
they're
from
CBA,
you
know.
What's
suppose
you
deny
a
variance
to
somebody
and,
and
they
it's
for
to
put
a
pool
in
and
they
put
the
damn
thing
in
anyway
and
you
want
to
you
know,
show
them
that
you
mean
business.
D
Well,
you
would
talk
about
how
you're
gonna
take
action
against
them
behind
closed
doors.
You
wouldn't
have
to
tip
them
off
at
a
public
meeting
going
into
executive
session
to
talk
about
protecting
the
city's
legal
rights.
You
could
do
that
so
the
last
one,
the
executive
session
for
a
security
matter.
Frankly,.
D
Used
to
come
up
and
then
Sandy
Hook
happened
in
2012
and
sadly
it's
come
up
a
lot
since
then,
mostly
with
words
of
Education
talking
about
adding
extra
resource
officers
talking
about
new
alarm
systems.
You
know
security
things
like
that
and
on
the
off
chance
that
the
wrong
person
was
sitting
in
the
audience
the
person
you're
trying
to
keep
out
of
that
school
building.
You
have
that
conversation
behind
closed
doors
again,
I
stressed
you
remember.
D
A
Cuz
I've
done
this
before
I
want
to
make
sure
that
I'm,
okay,
the
actual
documented
vote,
is
done
outside
all
right.
I,
don't
have
a
problem
right.
My
question
is:
when
I'm
an
executive
session
can
I
get
a
consensus
to
see
if
I
want
to
continue
discussion
further,
because
if
I'm
split
and
it's
gonna
be
a
no
vote
in
the
end,
because
I
don't
I,
don't
either
meet
my
50%
plus
one
or
my
two-thirds,
then
we
may
continue
discussion
kind
of
like
jury.
D
E
D
E
D
Right
a
lot
of
time,
people
use
executive
session,
I,
don't
with
somebody
about
a
month
or
so
ago.
They
said.
Well,
we
went
into
executive
session,
we
weren't
really
sure
we
we
wanted
to
explain
something
to
everybody,
because
if
we
talked
about
it
in
public
they
might
look
stupid.
You
know
I
mean
you
want
to
make
sure
that
you
go
in
for
a
legitimate
reason,
because
that
one
wound
up
being
the
target
of
a
complaint.
There
was
no
legitimate
reason
for
going
to
an
executive
session.
D
They
probably
should
have
just
done
it
in
public
and
what
happens
happens.
Are
there
any
questions
of
other
questions
about
executive
session,
any
thoughts
any
okay?
So
that's
path,
one
for
excluding
the
public.
The
second
one
is
one
of
those
things
that
kind
of
leaves
us
all
banging
our
heads
against
the
wall.
I
read
you
the
definition
of
a
meeting
the
sentence
that
follows
that
goes
like
this
meeting
does
not
include,
and
there
follows
a
list
of
things,
many
of
which
everybody
at
this
table
would
call
a
meeting.
D
The
legislature
said:
that's
fine,
you
can
call
it
a
meeting
if
you
like,
but
it's
not
a
meeting
for
the
purposes
of
freedom
of
information
it
makes.
It
may
be
difficult
to
try
to
explain
what
the
hell
is
going
on
in
that
list
of
things.
For
instance,
collective
bargaining.
Do
we
have
do
we
have
unions
in
the
city
of
project.
D
Okay,
collective
bargaining
strategy
sessions,
not
meetings
negotiating
sessions,
not
meetings
now
I,
don't
know
how
you
do
it,
but
when
I
was
on
that
board
of
education
at
times,
we
all
said
in
on
those
negotiations
and
you're
thinking,
wait
a
minute.
The
whole
boards
in
the
room,
or
even
just
the
Finance
Committee's
in
the
room
and
they're
doing
something
that
is
probably
as
important
as
anything.
They
do
at
least
fiscally
right.
The
teachers
budget
is
teacher's
contract,
a
huge
portion
of
our
budget.
D
D
D
E
D
The
wording
I
sort
of
get
a
chuckle
out
of
it,
either
planned
or
intended
for
the
purpose
of
discussing
matters
relating
to
official
business,
I
sort
of
chuckle.
What
what
else
you're
gonna
talk
about
right?
Here's!
What
we
have
to
remember,
folks!
We
don't
want
to
be
naive,
but
we
want
to
be
careful.
You
go
out
to
lunch.
You
go
out
to
dinner,
you
go
to
a
party
you're,
probably
going
to
talk
about
some
bored
stuff,
but
stop
short
of
those
deep
deliberative
conversations
that
you
should
be
having
here
at
the
table.
D
What
did
I
miss
at
the
last
meeting
here?
You
said
you
got
a
couple:
people
on
vacation
or
coming
back.
You
can
have
that
conversation.
You
know
discussion
about
things
on
the
agenda.
What's
gonna
be
on
the
agenda,
those
are
all
fine.
You
know
I
want
this
I
want
that.
But
you
know
you
made
that
statement
at
the
last
meeting.
I
thought
that
was
unfair
and
here's.
Why
in
it?
Well
you
don't
want
to
do
that.
You
want
to
have
those
discussions
here
at
the
table.
You
want
to
avoid
those
discussions
offline.
D
A
D
You're
gonna
hear
well,
you
want
to
rehash
and
stuff
like
that.
Well,
again
be
smart
about
it.
You
want
to
have
a
short
discussion.
You're,
probably
okay,
but
you
know
I
told
there
was
the
chairman
of
this
board,
so
the
chairman
usually
is
the
last
one
to
leave.
People
come
up.
They
want
to
ask
questions.
Turn
off
the
lights.
I
go
out
in
the
parking
lot.
My
guys
are
in
little
groups
talking.
So
what
are
you
doing
we'll
be
doing
the
FOI
guy
get-get-get
because
they
were
well
I?
D
We
did
that
I,
don't
think
we
should
have
done
it
well,
you
can't
to
be
really
smart
about
that.
The
conversations
are
going
to
happen
just
be
really
careful.
The
extent
the
depth
to
which
you
have
them
don't
dig
too
deep
in
some
of
those
conversations
and
to
that
end,
I,
don't
know
if
you
remember
the
definition,
I
read
it
when
I
started
talking,
whether
in
person
or
by
means
of
electronic
equipment,
electronic
equipment
was
written
44
years
ago.
The
Chairman
gets
on
the
phone
and
says
I
want
your
vote
on
this.
D
You
need
to
do
this.
I
want
you
to
do
this.
Bing-Bang-Boom
walk
in
the
house
is
packed
everybody's
ready
for
a
big
debate.
All
in
favor
up
shoot
the
hands
on
family.
What
happened?
What
happened?
Is
they
had
the
meeting
on
the
phone
before
it
took
place,
and
you
can't
do
that
and
in
2019
we're
talking
about
a
lot
more
than
telephones,
we're
talking
about
emails
and
texts
and
Twitter
and
Facebook,
and
all
those
things
I'm
not
telling
you
not
to
use
them.
But
again,
those
kind
of
conversations
are
almost
a
double
jeopardy
yeah.
D
You
start
emailing
each
other
about
something
and
back
and
forth
and
having
a
passionate
debate
being
email.
First
of
all,
that's
improper.
Second
of
all,
somebody
can
say:
I
want
to
see
any
and
all
emails
between.
You
know
the
mayor
and
then
the
deputy
mayor
about
this
issue
and
all
of
a
sudden
you've
had
a
meeting
that
you
shouldn't
have
avoid
the
deep
deliberative
conversations
that
you
should
have
at
the
table,
the
email
or
text,
or
anything
like
that
being
mindful
of
the
fact
that
anybody
can
say:
hey,
I,.
D
You
just
just
be
really
smart
about
that.
Okay
and
there
any
questions
about
that.
The
word
that
adepts
probably
heard
this
that
people
sort
of
slap
on
some
of
those
things
are
the
non
meeting.
That's
enough
to
make
me
scream,
it's
that's
nowhere
in
the
law,
but
think
about
it.
You
sit
in
one
of
those
bargaining
sessions.
Do
do
you
all
have
to
have
a
hand
in
that
you
have
the
different
learning
sessions
I.
D
E
F
D
The
person
who
passed
them
and
if
they're
on
a
town
server
or
something
like
that,
then
they
go
through
the
IT
person.
But
if
they're
on
your
as
something
to
remember,
is
you
know
it
doesn't
matter
where
you
create
those
emails?
Oh
I
was
at
home,
so
they're
off
limits,
no
they're,
not
anything
you
create
in
the
conduct
of
city
business
becomes
a
public
record
by
definition.
Now
there
are
different
exemptions
and
things
like
that.
That
might
pull
them
off
the
table,
but
the
request
goes
to
you
and
you
would
have
to
produce
them
and.
A
My
suggestion
to
people
is:
just
don't,
do
it,
don't
do
it
on
your
own
personal
email?
We
do
have
city
emails,
don't
do
it
on
your
text.
Don't
go
to
your
phone,
don't
do
it
over
your
personal
emails,
because,
even
though
you
say
well,
I
don't
care.
So
it
looks.
Somebody's
got
to
go
through
all
your
documents
right.
That
means,
if
it's
on
your
phone
they're
going
through
everything
in
your
phone,
somebody.
D
In
theory,
it
would
be
you
well,
you
would
go
through
it,
you
wouldn't
you,
wouldn't-
have
to
turn
it
over,
but
tell
you
a
little
story
with
you
to
sort
of
back
that
point
up
up
and
Putnam
the
the
mayor
entered
a
pumpkin
in
the
largest
pumpkin
boy
test.
You
know
that's
what
we're
all
folks
do
and
he
won.
He
was
very
excited.
D
He's
got
a
picture
of
the
pumpkin
on
his
phone
and
he
walks
around
town
hall
and
he
showed
it
to
everybody
and
he
gets
to
his
administrative
assistant
and
they
don't
get
along
real,
well
she's,
a
holdover
from
the
last
administration,
and
he
says
well
what
the
heck.
So
he
shows
her
the
picture
of
the
pumpkin,
so
she's
got
the
phone
in
her
hand.
Thank
you.
She
Scrolls,
it's
a
true
story.
D
The
first
thing
she
Scrolls
is
an
email
exchange
between
this
mayor
and
other
members
of
the
council
that
basically
call
this
woman
a
let's
say,
she's
in
her
job,
because
she
slept
her
way
to
the
top
and
bla
bla
bla
bla.
Well.
She
is
rightfully
outraged
and
now
she's
seen
it
and
so
she's
demanding
to
see
all
these
things
and
what's
his
first
response,
you
can't
have
it
because
it's
my
phone
well,
it
happened
to
be
his
town
own
phone,
so
he
wasn't
going
anywhere,
but
even
if
it
had
been
his.
D
They
were
this
conversation
was
intertwined
with
town
business.
Let's
do
this
tomorrow.
Can
you
meet
me
here
for
that
and
boom?
That's
all
public.
They
tried
like
the
devil,
to
not
have
it
released,
but
ultimately
they
even
the
even
the
attorney
who
knew
I
mean
he
knew
what
he
knows
a
lot
well
enough.
He
knew
that
he
was
going
to
lose.
He
had
to
try
to
defend
it.
They
had
they
had
to
extract
those
and
turn
them
out
there.
D
The
emails
were
public
records,
so
you
know
be
smart
about
the
extent
to
use
your
personal
devices
to
do
public
work.
The
last
thing
we
should
talk
about
with
meetings
is
minutes.
If
anybody
in
the
room
have
that
task,
30
minutes,
poor
unfortunate
soul,
right,
I
I
feel
your
pain,
tip.
I
know
if
we've
ever
talked.
D
Minutes
I
get
it
here's
my
advice:
they
need
not
be
the
recreation
of
Warren
piece.
They
are
not
every
word
that
everybody
says,
although
there
are
some
that
would
like
it.
I'm
dealing
with
a
situation
now
over
in
Shelton
they've
got
a
woman
who
is
dogging
them
about
their
minutes,
not
on
time
and
she's
right.
This
minutes
need
to
be
available
to
the
public
in
seven
days
period.
D
Well,
they
require
so
much
information
of
her
in
the
minutes.
First
of
other
they're
cycling
through
secretaries,
like
you
know,
you
and
I
take
a
drink
of
water
and,
second
of
all,
I
think
they're
they're
mammoth
their
page
upon
page
about
I
think
they
can't
get
done
in
time,
and
so
there's
a
real
problem
there
and
and
I'm
gonna
try
to
go
over
there
and
talk
to
them
and
say:
look
you
gotta
cut
them
down.
You
don't
need
verbatim
transfixed,
especially
since
you're,
probably
recording
the
damn
thing
anyway
right.
D
When
you
make
your
minutes
too
long,
here's
what
happens
well,
I
didn't
say
that
or
I
didn't
mean
to
say
that
or
could
we
take
that
out?
I
could
sound
kind
of
stupid.
Maybe
we
should
take
that
out
right,
I
have
when
the
one
boards
expand
them
to
that
point.
I've
had
so
many
conversations
about
that
minutes
need
to
be
a
crisp,
clear,
concise,
recapitulation
of
what
happened
at
the
meeting.
Technically,
the
only
thing
required
is
a
record
of
the
votes.
D
You
want
more
than
that
you're
creating
the
historical
record
for
your
city,
but
but
how
much
more
is
in
your
hands?
Not
the
person
in
the
audience
is
making
a
big
speech,
or,
even
with
all,
due
respect,
the
board
member
who
makes
a
big
speech.
You
know
you
want
to
keep
it
short.
Tight
and
concise.
I
have
an
exam,
let's
see
if
I
can
find
it
quickly.
So
we
had
a
situation.
I
did
one
of
these
over
in
Waterford
whew.
That's.
D
D
We
tend
to
go
verbatim
when
people
speak
from
the
audience
about
in
the
Met,
and
we
put
this
in
here,
and
so
this
is
what
they
had
about
this
guy.
He
said
he
requested
a
copy
of
the
15
month.
Study
noted
in
the
DEP
public
hearing
notice
that
sent
out
to
area
homeowners,
state
of
the
areas
of
Keaney,
Cove
and
Golden
Spur
waters
are
polluted,
is
against
granting
a
project
for
NBS
f1
NBS
already
has
one
in
East
limes,
Niantic,
Bay,
okay,
so
that's
fine,
except
that,
then
this
guy
sends
them
a
note.
D
This
was
wrong.
That
was
wrong.
I
didn't
mean
that
I
didn't
say
that
that
about
it
or
not.
So
the
question
from
the
chairman
is
this:
I
know
minutes
are
not
verbatim.
How
would
you
suggest
we
handle
this
going
forward?
Could
we
be
more
general
and
how
we
record
public
comment?
Mr.
wises
commented
on
the
NBS
f
aquaculture
project.
Yes,
you've
captured
it.
You
know
mince
words,
you
don't
have
him
so
anyway.
That's
that's!
Just
the
one
bit
of
advice
on
minutes.
D
C
A
D
D
D
F
D
She's
a
personnel
matter
no,
but
they
have,
they
have
to
be
informed.
They
could
have
it
done
in
public,
which
I
suspect
they
wouldn't
want
right,
but
you
do
not
you're
not
obligated
to
bring
them
in.
So
let
me
just
spend
a
couple
of
minutes
that
we
have
left
before
your
meeting.
The
mayor
was
gracious.
He
said
that
I
could
go
as
long
as
I
want,
but
you
all
need
to
know
that
my
wife
and
daughter
are
traveling
down
in
at
ebbets,
so
I
have
to
get
over
there.
D
Whether
such
data
or
information
be
handwritten
tight
tape
recorded
printed
photostat
and
photographed
or
recorded
by
any
other
method,
and
then
we
flip
over
to
this,
which
says,
except
as
otherwise
provided
by
any
federal
law
or
state
statute.
All
records
maintained
are
kept
on
filed
by
any
public
agency.
Whether
or
not
such
records
are
required
by
any
law
or
by
any
rule
or
regulation
shall
be
public
records
and
every
person
shall
have
the
right
to
inspect
such
records
promptly
during
regular
office
or
business
hours.
D
Copy
such
records
in
accordance
with
subsection
G
of
1
2
12,
or
receive
a
copy
of
such
records
in
accordance
with
1
2
12.
The
bottom
line
is,
you
know,
to
sort
of
hear
this
for
a
second
everything
you
create
and
the
conduct
of
city
business
is
defined
on
the
surface
as
a
public
record,
and
then
we
talk
about
things
that
may
be
exempt,
that
it's
a
it's
an
invasion
of
somebody's
privacy
and
the
personnel
file.
You
don't
give
it
out
it's
a
school
record
that
has
student
record
of
educational
records.
D
You
don't
give
it
out,
but
all
too
often
people
who
do
what
we
do
just
immediately
say:
no,
you
can't
have
it
say
it's
it's
my
record,
you
it's!
You
know
the
City
Council
record.
You
can't
have
it
at
CBA
record,
you
can't
have
it
it's
B
and
Z
record.
You
can't
have
it
or
worse
than
that
we
get
selective.
You
look
like
a
very
nice
person.
You
can
have
the
records,
you
look
very
suspicious,
you
get
nothing
and
you
used
to
be
a
reporter.
So
out
you
get
nothing.
D
You
would
think
that
after
44
years,
that
didn't
happen,
but
we
all
have
difficult
people
that
we
have
to
deal
with.
You
need
to
put
blinders
on.
You
need
to
put
blinders
on
and
say,
look
look
at
what
the
content
of
the
record
is
not
what
they
want
to
do
with
it.
Now,
if
it's
a
record,
that's
not
exempt
you
give
it
out.
I'm
gonna
share
at
the
risk
of
running
up
against
the
time.
This
is
one
story
you
want
to
hear
this
now.
D
This
involves
the
City
of
Hartford
and
the
person
making
the
request
makes
a
lot
of
requests
for
Hartford.
He
has
for
a
long
time,
and
in
this
particular
instance,
I
should
also
say
he's
he's
kind
of
like
a
journalist.
He
does
a
blog.
He
does
a
public
access.
Tv
thing
he's
out
there
a
lot
in
this
case.
D
They,
wherever
you
go
to
or
to
handle
yourself,
always
send
out
a
letter
like
that
in
four
business
days.
It
doesn't
necessarily
mean
to
produce
the
records,
but
you'll
always
acknowledge
in
four
days,
because
if
you
don't,
the
law
says
you've
denied
and
they
can
file
one
of
those
complaints
that
we
talked
about.
So
why
am
I
reading
you
this?
D
Because
in
the
process
of
responding
to
this
individual,
whom
he
does
not
like
the
corporation
counsel,
the
attorney
for
the
City
of
Hartford
accidentally
copied
the
requester
on
an
email
he
had
written
to
somebody
else
about
how
much
he
didn't
like
the
guy
now
in
the
hands
of
the
requester,
a
journalist
I
know
we're
being
recorded
so
I'll
clean
it
up,
but
you'll
get.
The
idea
is
the
following:
Carl
so
who
lit
a
fire
under
this?
It's
a
bad
word
that
starts
with
an
a
if
he's
involved
in
litigation.
D
Ongoing
and/or
other
projects
that
he
hasn't
asked
about.
Can
I
shut
him
down,
so
his
real
response
isn't
I'm
gonna,
look
into
it.
It's
I,
don't
like
him
in
rather
vulgar
terms.
How
do
I
get
rid
of
him,
so
the
guy
takes
this
and
runs
with
it
it
since
it
sounds
blog.
It's
on
the
public
access,
TV
thing:
it's
it's
all
over.
You
know
and
he's
connected
it's
on
W
FSB,
it's
under
current
the
next
morning.
Hartford
looks
bad,
so
he
tries
to
tries
to
walk
it
back.
No,
I
don't
you
can
see
this.
D
This
is
City
of
Hartford
letterhead.
Right
he
tries
to
write
sort
of
a
letter
of
apology.
Do
it
in
his
letter
of
apology,
is
the
following?
Apparently
a
little
else
to
do
other
than
to
pester
me
on
this
office
of
other
city
departments.
Recall
that
I
do
not
work
for
you.
The
purpose
of
the
FOI,
a
statute
is
not
to
provide
you
a
playground.
D
If
you
think
that
please
don't
read
it
you've
created
another
public
record
that
goes
ahead
to
the
law.
It
doesn't
do
any
good,
and
so
he
takes
another
pounding
in
the
media
and
PS
the
part
that
that's
sort
of
the
humorous
part,
but
the
part
that's
the
worst.
Is
it
because
it
was
him
and
because
he
felt
so
strongly,
he
didn't
even
bother
to
look
at
what
he
was
asking
for.
He
gave
him
nothing.
The
next
headline
we
see
is
Hartford
losses
before
FOI
Commission.
None.
D
Were
exam
you
should
have
just
given
them
out
put
aside
any
personal
feelings,
you
might
have
look
at
what
the
records
are
and
then
know
some
of
these
exemptions.
Now
again,
this
is
where
your
staff
comes
in
handy,
where
your
knowledge
of
what
to
do
before
always
always
think
in
terms
of
okay.
Yes,
it's
a
public
record.
D
Are
we
going
to
give
it
out
or
something
fall
that
we're
not
going
to
give
it
out?
And
if
you
have
questions
I
want
you
to
call
us
as
I
said
Jill
the
mayor,
they
know
stuff
about
foi,
ask
them
and
we'll
give
you
a
straight
answer.
You
may
not
like
it,
but
we'll
tell
you.
This
is
what
we
think
you
should
go:
okay,
but.
A
A
There
have
been
in
the
past
FOI
requests
that
would
go
to
the
utility
and
the
same
FOI
request
would
go
to
the
mayor's
office,
but
the
utility
and
the
mayor's
office
weren't
talking
to
each
other
and
we're
answering
the
same
FOI
request.
But
the
individual
got
different
information
and
that's
not
pleasant.
Okay,
but
that's
not
why
reason
I
did
it
was
that
I
wanted
all
I
wanted
with
a
procedure
policy
protocol
I
want
one
person
to
be
there,
because
when
I
first
got
here,
there
were
FOI
requests
all
over
the
place.
A
I
didn't
know
where
they
were
and
they
were
in
different
stages.
We
had,
we
had
replied
within
the
four
days,
we'll
get
back
to
you
and
then
some
were
two
weeks
old.
Some
were
six
months
old
and
I'm
like
we
need
to
get
our
arms
around
the
epilogue,
because
if
you
go
back
a
couple
of
years,
we
had
a
contentious,
a
couple
things
that
we're
going
on.
A
So,
although
our
requests
come
out
of
the
mayor's
office
or
controlled
out
of
the
mayor's
office,
the
mayor's
office
then
reaches
out
to
the
that's
IT,
wherever
they
need
to
in
order
to
get
the
information
to
provide
a
polite.
The
FOI
request,
another
thing
and
Tom
may
go
into
this
now
that
I'm
going
to
open
the
door.
It's
we've
wrestled
with
this.
You.
We
are
not
required
to
come
to
any
conclusions
or
to
produce
anything.
If
we
have
it,
you
provide
it,
but
I
do
not
have
to
generate
a
database.
A
I
do
not
have
to
generate
I.
Do
not
have
to
take
this
document
in
this
document
and
create
a
new
document,
and
that
was
learned
painfully
in
the
city
of
grind.
So
we
are
very
precise
about
how
we
answer
a
polite
request
and
it's
not
because
I
don't
want
to
give
the
information
I.
Am
we
one
of
the
big
things
that
is
very
important
to
me
is
to
be
transparent
and
that's
one
of
the
reasons
people
talk
to
me
about
tend
to
over
explain
and
the
reason
I
do.
A
That
is
one
so
that
the
council
understands
or
anybody
that's
in
a
meeting
that
I'm
in
understand
it's
what
we're
doing
and
why
were
doing
it,
but
also
if
it
is
publicized
I'm
explaining
to
the
general
public
what
it
is.
Why
we're
doing
what
we're
doing
so
that
everybody
understands
and
that's
that
is
very
important
too,
because
if
a
light
thing
is
about
not
hiding
things
because
people
in
general
are
suspicious
of
government
and
with
the
way
things
have
been
in
the
last
few
years
or
ten
years.
A
D
No,
but
to
wrap
up.
Remember
the
mayor
just
made
a
good
point:
you
have
obligations
to
get
records
to
people
in
a
reasonable
amount
of
time
when
their
records
request,
but
you're
not
required
to
create
anything
you're
not
required
to
do
research
and
you're
not
required
to
drop
everything
you're
doing
because
someone
says
under
foi
I
want
a
record
there's
a
reasonableness
involved.
Even
if
the
request
is
large,
you
have
a
conversation.
D
You
try
to
get
the
person
to
perhaps
narrow
the
scope,
but
if
not,
if
they
want
a
whole
package,
then
you
say
fine,
but
you
know
we're
a
small
town
or
a
small
city.
This
is
how
long
it's
gonna
take.
You
reasonable,
be
smart
about
it
and
you'll
be
okay.
Let's
just
sort
of
go!
Those
of
you
who
are
on
boards
just
go
forth
with
that
concept
that
everything's
a
public
record
good.
A
Because,
sometimes
what
we
will
get
is
we
will
get
a
request.
It
looks
like
this
I
want
any
and
all
records
pertaining
to
this
subject
right
and
then
we
have
to
call
the
individual.
We
send
out
the
letter,
but
then
we
call
them
up
and
say:
okay,
you
talk
about
that
subject.
What
does
that
mean
in
any
and
all?
What
are
you
talking
about?
Are
you
talking
about
building
records?
Are
you
talking
about
utility
records?
D
A
D
D
These
cards
can
be
great
for
a
wallet
a
purse,
a
desk
drawer
on
the
fly
feel
free
to
take
one
pass
around,
keep
the
extras
and
the
other
thing
I
bring
with
me
when
I
talk,
especially
the
boards
and
commissions
I,
call
this
the
meeting
cheat
sheet.
It's
a
grid.
He
tells
you
when
meetings
need
to
be
noticed.
What
kind
of
meetings
need
to
be
noticed
when,
when
minutes
are,
do
things
like
that?
These
can
also
be
helpful
as
well.
So
thank
you
feel
free
to
copy
them
and
share
them
with
your
fellow
board
members.
D
Is
there
anything
that
I
didn't
touch
on
that?
You
wanted
to
ask
about
anybody
all
right
now.
You
know
as
soon
as
I
walk
out
of
here.
You'll
have
a
question.
Please
the
offer
is
sincere
anything
you
can
chase
me
down
it
habits,
anything
that
you
anything
that
you
have
a
question
about.
This
law
can
be
really
confusing,
especially
if
you're
not
legally
trained.
No
question
is
stupid,
do
not
hesitate
to
pick
up
the
phone
and
call
and
we'll
get
you
an
answer.
Thank
you.