FOIL-AO-16735

 

 

 

                                                                                                August 14, 2007

 

 

E-Mail

TO:                 

FROM:            Robert J. Freeman, Executive Director

The staff of the Committee on Open Government is authorized to issue advisory opinions.  The ensuing staff advisory opinion is based solely upon the information presented in your correspondence.

Dear

            As you are aware, I have received your inquiry.  Please accept my apologies for the delay in response.

            If I understand the matter correctly, the Town of Poughkeepsie does not disclose records relating to items referenced on agendas of Town Board meetings.  You asked whether that is appropriate, and in this regard, I offer the following comments.

            First, the Freedom of Information Law pertains to all records of an agency, such as a town, for §86(4) defines the term “record” expansively to mean:

"...any information kept, held, filed, produced, reproduced by, with or for an agency or the state legislature, in any physical form whatsoever including, but not limited to, reports, statements, examinations, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, letters, microfilms, computer tapes or discs, rules, regulations or codes."

Based on the foregoing, whether written material is draft or final, or approved or unapproved, I believe that it would constitute a “record” that falls within the scope of the Freedom of Information Law.

            Second, some aspects of the records at issue may be deniable, but others might be accessible to the public.  As a general matter, the Freedom of Information Law is based upon a presumption of access.  Stated differently, all records of an agency are available, except to the extent that records or portions thereof fall within one or more grounds for denial appearing in §87(2)(a) through (j) of the Law.  In my opinion, the contents of the records in question   serve as the factors relevant to an analysis of the extent to which the records may be withheld or must be disclosed, and several of the grounds for denial may be relevant to such an analysis in relation to the records in question..

            Records prepared by Town staff or Board members and forwarded to other members of the Board would constitute intra-agency materials that fall within the coverage of §87(2)(g) of the Freedom of Information Law.  That provision states that an agency may withhold records that:

"are inter-agency or intra-agency materials which are not:

i.  statistical or factual tabulations or data;

ii.  instructions to staff that affect the public;

iii.  final agency policy or determinations; or

iv.  external audits, including but not limited to audits performed by the comptroller and the federal government..."

            It is emphasized that the language quoted above contains what in effect is a double negative.  While inter-agency or intra-agency materials may be withheld, portions of such materials consisting of statistical or factual information, instructions to staff that affect the public, final agency policy or determinations or external audits must be made available, unless a different ground for denial could appropriately be asserted.  Concurrently,     those portions of inter-agency or intra-agency materials that are reflective of opinion, advice, recommendation and the like could in my view be withheld.

            I note that the Court of Appeals, the State's highest court, has specified that the contents of intra-agency  materials determine the extent to which they may be available or withheld, for it was held that:

"While the reports in principle may be exempt from disclosure, on this record - which contains only the barest description of them - we cannot determine whether the documents in fact fall wholly within the scope of FOIL's exemption for 'intra-agency materials,' as claimed by respondents.  To the extent the reports contain 'statistical or factual tabulations or data' (Public Officers Law section 87[2][g][I], or other material subject to production, they should be redacted and made available to the appellant" [Xerox Corp. v. Town of Webster, 65 NY 2d 131, 133 (1985)].

            Therefore, as suggested earlier, intra-agency materials may be accessible or deniable in whole or in part, depending upon their specific contents.

            Also relevant may be §87(2)(b), which enables an agency to withhold records or portions thereof which if disclosed would result in an unwarranted invasion of privacy.  That provision might be applied with respect to a variety of matters relating to hiring, evaluation or discipline of staff, for example.

            Section 87(2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Law permits an agency to withhold records to the extent that disclosure "would impair present or imminent contract awards or collective bargaining negotiations".  Items within an agenda packet might in some instances fall within that exception.

            I point out that although records or perhaps portions of records may be withheld, there is no requirement that they must be withheld.  The Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, has confirmed that the exceptions to rights of access are permissive, rather than mandatory, stating that:

"while an agency is permitted to restrict access to those records falling within the statutory exemptions, the language of the exemption provision contains permissible rather than mandatory language, and it is within the agency's discretion to disclose such records, with or without identifying details, if it so chooses" [Capital Newspapers v. Burns, 67 NY 2d 562, 567 (1986)].

            Consequently, even if it is determined that a record may be withheld under §87(2)(g), for example, an agency would have the authority to disclose the record.

            It is also emphasized that the grounds for withholding records under the Freedom of Information Law and the grounds for entry into executive session are separate and distinct, and that they are not necessarily consistent.  In some instances, although a record might be withheld under the Freedom of Information Law, a discussion of that record might be required to be conducted in public under the Open Meetings Law, and vice versa.  For instance, if a Board member transmits a memorandum suggesting a change in policy, that record could be withheld.  It would consist of intra-agency material reflective of an opinion or recommendation.  Nevertheless, when the Board discusses the recommendation at a meeting, there would be no basis for conducting an executive session.  Consequently, there may be no reason for withholding the record even though the Freedom of Information Law would so permit.

            In short, while there may be a valid legal reason for withholding some elements of the records at issue, frequently their contents are fully discussed at open meetings, thereby seemingly diminishing the need or rationale for withholding.

            I hope that I have been of assistance.

                                                                                   
RJF:jm

cc: Town Board