Due to public health concerns, CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS scheduled for the weeks of March 16 and March 23 are POSTPONED. The regular meeting of the FOI Commission scheduled for March 25, 2020, is CANCELED.

TO:                 Freedom of Information Commission
FROM:            Thomas A. Hennick
RE:                 Minutes of the Commission’s regular meeting of October 13, 2016

as amended and approved at the Commission meeting of October 26, 2016


DATE:             October 13, 2016
A regular meeting of the Freedom of Information Commission was held on October 13, 2016, in the Freedom of Information Hearing Room, 18-20 Trinity Street, Hartford, Connecticut. The meeting convened at 2:20 p.m. with the following Commissioners present:
                        
             Commissioner Owen P. Eagan, presiding
             Commissioner Jay Shaw (participated via speakerphone)
             Commissioner Jonathan J. Einhorn
             Commissioner Christopher P. Hankins
             Commissioner Ryan P. Barry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Also present were staff members, Colleen M. Murphy, Mary E. Schwind, Victor R. Perpetua, Tracie C. Brown, Lisa F. Siegel, Kathleen K. Ross, Valicia D. Harmon, Paula S. Pearlman, Cindy Cannata, and Thomas A. Hennick.
The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Commission’s regular meeting of September 28, 2016.
        Those in attendance were informed that the Commission does not ordinarily record the remarks made at its meetings, but will do so on request.
               
Docket #FIC 2016-0020                    Timothy Townsend v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut,
                                                       Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection,
                                                       Division of State Police; State of Connecticut, Department
                                                       of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of
                                                       State Police

              Timothy Townsend participated via speakerphone. Assistant Attorney General James
Caley appeared on behalf of the respondents. The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve
the Hearing Officer’s Report. The proceedings were recorded digitally.

Docket #FIC 2016-0021                     Timothy Townsend v. Commissioner, State of
                                                        Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and
                                                        Public Protection, Division of State Police; and State of
                                                        Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and
                                                        Public Protection, Division of State Police
                   Timothy Townsend participated via speakerphone. Assistant Attorney General James
Caley appeared on behalf of the respondents. The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve
the Hearing Officer’s Report. The proceedings were recorded digitally.
Minutes, Regular Meeting, October 13, 2016
Page 2
Docket #FIC 2016-0024                    John Kaminski v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut,
                                                       Department of Correction; and State of Connecticut, Department of Correction
             The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2016-0092                    David Taylor v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut,
                                                       Department of Correction; and State of Connecticut,
                                                       Department of Correction
                 The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2013-586                    Thomas McDonnell v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut,
                                                     Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; and
                                                     State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and
                                                     Public Protection
                  Assistant Attorney General Stephen Sarnoski appeared on behalf of the respondents.
 The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.
               
Docket #FIC 2015-787                   Torrey Townsend v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut,
                                                     Department of Public Health; and State of Connecticut,
                                                     Department of Public Health
                 Assistant Attorney General Kerry Ann Colson appeared on behalf of the respondents.
 The Commissioners unanimously voted to amend the Hearing Officer’s Report. The
 Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report as amended.*

Docket #FIC 2015-799                    Louise Czar v. Chief, Bantam Fire Company, Town of
                                                     Bantam; and Bantam Fire Company, Town of Bantam
                The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.
Docket #FIC 2016-0434                    Louise Czar v. Edward Brown, President, Bantam Fire
                                                      Company; and Bantam Fire Company
               Louise Czar appeared on her own behalf. The Commissioners unanimously voted to
approve the Hearing Officer’s Report. The proceedings were recorded digitally.
  
Docket #FIC 2016-0015                    Jeremy Shafer and the American Civil Liberties Union v.
                                                       Chief, Police Department, City of Milford; Police
                                                       Department, City of Milford; and City of Milford
                The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.

  
Docket #FIC 2016-0056                    Jim Dobson v. Chairman, State of Connecticut, Department
                                                       of Energy and Environmental Protection, Public Utilities
                                                       Regulatory Authority; and State of Connecticut, Department
                                                       of Energy and Environmental Protection, Public Utilities
                                                       Regulatory Authority
                 Attorney Robert Marconi appeared on behalf of the respondents. The Commissioners
 unanimously voted to amend the Hearing Officer’s Report. The Commissioners unanimously
 voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report as amended.*

Docket #FIC 2016-0104                    Susan Fernandez and the SPCA of Connecticut, Inc. v.
                                                       Animal Control Officer, Town of Seymour; and Town of
                                                       Seymour
               The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.
Docket #FIC 2016-0136                    Holly Arpino v. President, State of Connecticut, University
                                                       of Connecticut; and State of Connecticut, University of
                                                       Connecticut
                       The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2016-0136                    Holly Arpino v. President, State of Connecticut, University
                                                       of Connecticut; and State of Connecticut, University of
                                                       Connecticut
                          The Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the Hearing Officer’s Report.

         Colleen M. Murphy informed the Commissioners that no action would be needed on the
 following matters as the complainant had withdrawn the complaints within the last 24 hours. This
 matter was records digitally:  Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David
 Godbout v. Clerk, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0102;
 Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. Clerk, Town of East
Lyme; and Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0197; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not
to Schedule in David Godbout v. Clerk, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme, Docket # FIC
2016-0255; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. East Lyme
Board of Education, Town of East Lyme; East Lyme Board of Finance, Town of East Lyme; and
Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0123; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule
in David Godbout v. Assessor, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme, Docket # FIC 2016-
0202; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. Chair, Board of
Assessment Appeals, Town of East Lyme; Board of Assessment Appeals, Town of East Lyme; and
Town of East Lyme
, Docket # FIC 2016-0220; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule
in David Godbout v. Members, Board of Assessment Appeals, Town of East Lyme; Board of
Assessment Appeals, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme
, Docket # FIC 2016-0256;
Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. Chair, Zoning
 Commission, Town of East Lyme; Zoning Commission, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East
Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0215; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David
Godbout v. Chair, Planning Commission, Town of East Lyme; Planning Commission, Town of East
Lyme; and Town of East Lyme
, Docket # FIC 2016-0217; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not
to Schedule in David Godbout v. Chair, Parks and Recreation Commission, Town of East Lyme;
Parks and Recreation Commission, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme
, Docket # FIC
2016-0218; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. Chair, Board
of Finance, Town of East Lyme; Board of Finance, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme
,
Docket # FIC 2016-0219; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout
v. Chair, Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; and
Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0221; Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule
in David Godbout v. Chair, Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; Board of Selectmen, Town of
East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0222; Consideration of Notice of Decision
Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. Holly Cheeseman, Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme;
Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme
, Docket # FIC 2016-0234;
Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David Godbout v. First Selectman, Board
of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; Board of Selectmen, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East
Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0235 and Consideration of Notice of Decision Not to Schedule in David
Godbout v. Director, Department of Public Works, Town of East Lyme; Department of Public
Works, Town of East Lyme; and Town of East Lyme,
Docket # FIC 2016-0227.
            

              The Commissioners unanimously approved a staff recommendation to file a Motion for Remand in Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of State Police, et al. v. Freedom of Information Commission, Docket No. HHB-CV-16-6032954-S. 
               Colleen M. Murphy reported that Lateisha Rainey would begin work October 14 as the agency’s new Human Resources Specialist.
      
                   Colleen M. Murphy reported that she had been meeting with legislators to discuss legislation that would further solidify the commission’s budgetary independence.

                           The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
 ______________                         
Thomas A. Hennick
MINREGmeeting 10132016/tah/10142016