No "Right to Know" in Nashua - Granite Grok

No “Right to Know” in Nashua

Jesse Neuman Nashua RTK coordinator

Nashua City Attorney Jesse Neumann is not doing his job. He is providing poor reasons and little legal basis for denying information requests. Of course, Mr. Neumann does not work for individual residents, however, he should be willing to work with individuals to clarify requests, explain how our records are maintained so we can request them in the correct format.

And he could assist us in reducing the burden to both parties. This type of communication does not constitute legal advice. If the coordinator were not a lawyer, we could freely have these communications without the games Attorney Neumann is playing.

Nashua residents need to remember that it was through Right-To-Know requests that citizens found out that the assessing department was up to some shenanigans.

Attorney Neumann is shutting down information without proper citation of the law. He is restricting open access to public records. It appears Attorney Neumann is leading a campaign to delete all emails, particularly those in the assessing office without property quotation of the retention or open record laws.

Is this how we want our new Attorney to cut his teeth?

Mrs. Ortolano responded to Mr. Neumann’s condescending response with the following:

I wrote to you on March 11 with the request to speak with you about clarifying the request for city emails. I made this request to work with you as the hired “Right-to-Know” coordinator, not the general city attorney. I believed as the Right-To-Know coordinator you would be working with the public, in the most efficient and effective manner to provide information requested in an open and transparent manner.

In no way, do I expect you to provide legal counsel to private citizens. However, I do not believe that explaining how records are retained, what type of searches the city is willing to perform when it simplifies obtaining information and what records exist as legal advice. In fact, it is probably best we speak with the departments directly about how their information is stored. Feel free to direct the public to those closest to the documents to assist us in clarify how the records exist and what records exist.

Please note that I do not just write for my interests on this matter. You, Attorney Neumann, are treating other citizens with no litigation in the same manner as you are treating me.

Mrs. Ortolano rewrote her request as such:

Under RSA 91-A, I would like electronic copies of emails Kim Kleiner, Jon Duhamel, and John Griffin created or responded to for the time period of November 1, 2018, through December 23, 2018.”

Attorney Neumann response was:

“the bare description of “emails” fails to constitute a reasonable description of a governmental record.”

Can someone explain to me why emails, a very specific form of communication, are not a reasonable description of a governmental record?

Prior to Attorney Neumann joining the City of Nashua, citizens were granted document requests for email communications. I was hoping hiring a Right-to-know coordinator would let the light shine in, instead Attorney Neumann has closed the blinds.

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