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BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
In pursuit of the whole story — Beacon co-publisher Barb Shepherd, left, and reporter Jen Horton stand in front of the Volusia County Courthouse Feb. 4, holding a lawsuit just filed by The Beacon in an attempt to obtain public records from Orange City.
posted Feb 7, 2010 - 4:48:09pm
After more than six weeks of being refused public records by the City of Orange City, The Beacon on Feb. 4 filed suit, asking the Circuit Court to order the records' release.
Orange City officials contend the records are exempt from Florida's open-records law because of an ongoing investigation that involves the city's police department.
The Beacon asserts that, because the records were not "obtained pursuant to the investigation," which the law stipulates, they are not exempt.
The newspaper is represented by DeLand attorney Tanner Andrews in the action. "The City has been stunningly reluctant to furnish public records," Andrews said.
The records in dispute include Lt. Gregory Melvin's personnel file, e-mails sent by and to Orange City Police Chief Jeffrey Baskoff and his wife, Patricia, who is also a Police Department employee, letters sent to police officers and City Council members by an attorney representing Melvin, and a separation agreement offered to Melvin that allegedly involved paying him $25,000 in exchange for a promise not to sue the city.
On Nov. 29, Orange City received a complaint about Melvin that was signed by 20 police officers — nearly the entire police force. Sometime after the letter was delivered, the city began investigating the complaint.
Although one city official said the investigation began Dec. 3, the only documentation The Beacon has seen regarding an ongoing investigation is a contract with an attorney who agreed to do the work, signed Jan. 15.
(View the lawsuit appendices in PDF format.)
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The appendices are linked at the bottom of the story.
Thanks,
— Jen Horton
Perhaps if I made a public records request ....?
They just help the local garbage company steal money from the citizens of Orange City !
Thanks to the City Council in 2007.
Can you say kickbacks ?
Way to go all you idiot posters who make derogatory comments that have nothing to do with the story. You should go back to school and use your soggy brain for something good. I'm thinking "ben d" has a pretty ugly soul.
I just wonder why other, larger news agencies have not done the same . As a proud citizen of the USA I appreciate all efforts to obtain the facts - whatever they may be .
Who hit them with the ugly stick?
...Maybe they got into a fight with each other- with the ugly stick. haha
On a public newspaper website even... that is sore.
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