A lot of junk comes to the CMs office. Some CMs choose to keep it, others choose to shred. When we came to City Hall eight years ago, the files were bare. We had a small stack of folders which the previous CM thought might be of interest. Actually, we didn't even use them. We proceeded to build our own records - and, you know what, we never even missed the records we "thought" were missing.
Computers were not a question back then because there weren't any. Computers are backed up and that material would be available if needed. There is no reason to have that information on your computer when you start. You can and should build your own files and records.
I truly think CM Natalie Lee Johnson is making a bit much about this and the press has hopped on it because she replaced Ms. Cherryhomes. Give it a rest folks, nothing there. Let's go on to bigger issues facing the City and discuss those.
Karen Collier
Linden Hills
In a message dated 3/2/02 7:48:14 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Doesn't it stand to reason that a council member
should build institutional memory of the projects and
issues they deal with during their time in office? I
believe there is a big responsibility to do so.
Eva mentioned back-up computer files. The city should
have them I would think. If not, channel 9 should have
the information. (at least through July 2001 back
until 1995) They requested it from the city computers
under that freedom of information act last summer
during "Herrongate" and my recollection is that the
council computers were not purged since 1995. Not 100%
here, so correct me if I am wrong.
The documents not on a council members computer would
be documents they collected in the course of doing
their jobs and attending meetings or hearings. Things
like MCDA reports, zoning and planning reports,
inspections information, letters from people outside
city hall, files on properties. etc. Yes, most of this
could be rebuilt but the time and expense to do so
would be horrendous. How would you even know what to
rebuild?
I would hope that any council member would feel
obligated to pass on all information that provides
institutional memory regardless of the political
battle that ensued prior to the election. That is
called professional integrity.
There are obviously laws surrounding this. My
understanding is that Natalie Johnson Lee made an
issue of the missing files immediately upon taking
office. Her complaints received pretty much a "yawn
yawn bore bore" response from the city attorneys
office. I maybe wrong, perhaps the city attorney has
been investigating this and just hasn't come out
publicly with anything.
At any rate, maybe the Channel Five attention to the
matter will help expedite their findings.
We have now graduated from "Herrongate" to "Filegate".
It's a shame some council members have been left to
fly blind. In the end, it's the constituents that pay
the price for it.
