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 September 27, 2017

A regular meeting of the Freedom of Information Commission was held on September 27, 2017, in the Freedom of Information Hearing Room, 18-20 Trinity Street, Hartford, Connecticut. The meeting convened at 2:11 p.m. with the following Commissioners present:
                        
             Commissioner Owen P. Eagan, presiding
             Commissioner Jay Shaw (participated via speakerphone)
             Commissioner Matthew Streeter                                                                    
             Commissioner Christopher P. Hankins
             Commissioner Michael C. Daly
             Commissioner Lenny T. Winkler         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Also present were staff members, Mary E. Schwind, Victor R. Perpetua, Kathleen K. Ross, Lisa F. Siegel, Valicia D. Harmon, Paula S. Pearlman, Cindy Cannata, and Thomas A. Hennick.
The Commissioners voted, 5-0, to approve the Commission’s regular meeting minutes of September 13, 2017. Commissioner Hankins abstained.
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 2016-0740      David Taylor v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health; State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health; Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Correction; and State of Connecticut, Department of Correction
                                                                    
The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2017-0069      David Taylor v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health; State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health; Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Correction; and State of Connecticut, Department of Correction

The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.
Docket #FIC 2016-0761      Julio Burgos Torres v. Vernon Riddick, Chief, Police  Department, City of Waterbury; Police Department, City of Waterbury; City of Waterbury; Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Correction; and State of Connecticut, Department of Correction

The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.
     
Docket #FIC 2016-0859      Christopher Shuckra v. Chief, Police Department, City of New Britain; and Police Department, City of New Britain

Christopher Shuckra participated via speakerphone. The Commissioners unanimously voted
to reopen the matter and return it to the Hearing Officer for a hearing.
                  
Docket #FIC 2016-0757      Ray Rossomando and the Connecticut Education Association  v. Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Education; and State of Connecticut, Department of   Education

The Commissioners voted, 5-0, to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report. Commissioner
Hankins abstained.
Docket #FIC 2016-0820      Michael Aronow v. Executive Director, State of Connecticut, University of  Connecticut Health Center; and  State of Connecticut, University of Connecticut Health Center
The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2016-0865      Charles Graeber and Ross Tuttle v. Chief, Police Department,City of New Haven; Police Department, City of New Haven; Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; State of Connecticut, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; and State of Connecticut, Office of the Chief State's Attorney

Diana Lee and Catherine Martinez appeared on behalf of the complainants. Attorney
Kathleen Foster appeared on behalf of the City of New Haven. Assistant Attorney General Stephen
Sarnoski appeared on behalf of the respondent state agencies. The Commissioners unanimously voted
to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report. The proceedings were recorded digitally.

Docket #FIC 2017-0023      James Spear v. President, Oxford Ambulance Association; and Oxford Ambulance Association

The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.

   
Docket #FIC 2017-0070      David Desroches and WNPR v. Chief, Police Department, Town of Greenwich; Police Department, Town of Greenwich; and Town of Greenwich

Attorney Daniel Klau appeared on behalf of the complainants. Attorney Valerie Maze
Keeney appeared on behalf of the respondents. The Commissioners unanimously voted
to amend the Hearing Officer’s Report. The Commissioners voted, 5-1, to adopt the
Hearing Officer’s Report as amended.* Commissioner Hankins voted against adoption. The
proceedings were recorded digitally.

Docket #FIC 2017-0156      Vinny Vella, and the Hartford Courant v. President, State of Connecticut, University of Connecticut; and State of Connecticut, University of Connecticut
The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.

Docket #FIC 2017-0302      Eileen Miller v. Chief Executive Officer, Waterbury Development Corporation, City of Waterbury; and Waterbury Development Corporation, City of Waterbury
The Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the Hearing Officer’s Report.

The Commissioners unanimously voted to affirm the Executive Director’s decision not to schedule in Marissa Lowthert v. Caroline Corrigan, Chairman, Wilton Parent Advisory Board; and Wilton Parent Advisory Board, Docket # FIC 2016-0787; Marissa Lowthert v. Bruce Likly, Chairman, Business Operations Committee, Board of Education, Wilton Public Schools; and Board of Education, Wilton Public Schools, Docket # FIC 2016-0803 and Marissa Lowthert v. Bruce Likly, Chairman, Policy Communications Alignment Committee, Wilton Board of Education; and Policy Communications Alignment Committee, Wilton Board of Education, Docket # FIC 2016-0804.  The proceedings were recorded digitally.

The Commissioners voted, 5-0, to deny a Motion for Reconsideration dated September 12, 2017 and received by the Commission on September 12, 2017, filed by Marissa Lowthert in Marissa Lowthert v. Bruce Likly, Chairman, Board of Education, Wilton Public Schools; Christine Finkelstein, Chris Stroup, Laura Schwemm, Glen Hemmerle, and Lory Rothstein, as members, Board of Education, Wilton Public Schools; and Wilton Public Schools, Docket #FIC 2015-147. Commissioner Shaw did not participate in this matter. The proceedings were recorded digitally.
Paula S. Pearlman reported on the Superior Court, Judicial District of New Britain,
Memorandum of Decision in James Torlai v. Freedom of Information Commission, and
Commissioner, State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection,
dated September 11, 2017.
  
The meeting was adjourned at 3:44 p.m.

                                                        ______________                         
Thomas A. Hennick
MINREGmeeting 09272017/tah/09282017
*   See Attached for Amendments

AMENDMENTS
              
Docket #FIC 2017-0070                  David Desroches and WNPR v. Chief, Police Department, Town of Greenwich; Police Department, Town of Greenwich; and Town of Greenwich

 The Hearing Officer’s Report is amended as follows:
14.  It is found that Mr. von Keyserling was arrested by warrant on January 11, 2017, and
charged with one count of violating Conn. Gen. Stat. §53a-73a (i.e., sexual assault in the fourth degree).  It is found that the respondents released to the public a form titled “Criminal Information Summary” which contained certain information concerning such arrest.  In addition, it is found that at the time of the hearing in this matter, the criminal prosecution of Mr. von Keyserling was still pending. [ADD NEW FOOTNOTE 2]
16.   Based upon the specific facts of this case, it is concluded that the respondents did
not violate the disclosure requirements contained in §§1-210(a), 1-212(a) and 1-215, G.S, BY WITHHOLDING THE VIDEO RECORDING. [FOOTNOTE 2 NOW FOOTNOTE 3]
Footnote 2:
ALTHOUGH NOT AN ISSUE IN THIS CASE, THE COMMISSION NOTES THAT THE RELEASE OF THE “CRIMINAL INFORMATION SUMMARY,” ONLY, DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE DISCLOSURE PROVISIONS OF §1-215, G.S., WHICH REQUIRES THE RELEASE OF THE ARREST WARRANT APPLICATION, WHEN, AS HERE, THE ARREST OCCURS BY WARRANT.