LOHUD WATCH DOG TEAM: Public-records novice's FOIL response: "3 more months!"

Tim Lehey’s public-records request stalled when a New York agency asked for more time to respond.

He shared the update with me in an email of few words: 3 more months!

Yet the exclamation point made clear that Lehey, a Piermont nurse anesthetist and public-records novice, was shocked. He obviously expected a much easier foray into the state’s Freedom of Information Law.

But many journalists are all too familiar with having to wait and, in some cases, make repeated requests or appeals to obtain public records, regardless of laws intended to protect accessibility.

Lehey’s experience, however, underscores what it takes to obtain public records outside the media. His request is part of The Journal News/lohud.com project launched in March for Sunshine Week, a national initiative promoting public-records education and access.....

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/blogs/thepound/2016/05/18/public-records-novices-foil-response-3-more-months/84551326/

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