PIA

Records reveal drama, disguises in Austin city manager search

FOIFT2017-12-08T15:17:00-06:00

By Philip Jankowski Austin American-Statesman Originally published Dec. 6, 2017 To dodge reporters, consultants suggested the finalists to be Austin’s next city manager don wigs, pretend to be tourists or possibly even wear Halloween masks after American-Statesman reporters managed to identify several candidates during the city’s top-secret search for its next leader. That was one of many details revealed in more than 400 pages of communications the city provided in response to a request under the Texas Public Information Act made within hours of officials making the legally murky decision to secretly change the location of a second round of interviewsconducted Nov. [...]

Records reveal drama, disguises in Austin city manager searchFOIFT2017-12-08T15:17:00-06:00

George P. Bush grilled on Alamo transparency

FOIFT2017-12-06T15:59:22-06:00

By Scott Huddleston San Antonio Express-News Originally published Dec. 5, 2018 State legislators quizzed Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush about the Alamo and a long-range master plan, and asked him to look for ways to provide more transparency in the management of the historic mission and battle site. “We need to get it more simple, and clearer,” Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said at the conclusion of an hourlong exchange Tuesday between Bush and the Senate Finance Committee, which Nelson chairs. Committee members said they would like to see better access to meetings of the nonprofit contractors that run the [...]

George P. Bush grilled on Alamo transparencyFOIFT2017-12-06T15:59:22-06:00

FOI Column: Boeing ruling stretched, twisted to keep government records secret

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:33-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director FOI Foundation of Texas Every week, government officials across Texas and private companies receiving taxpayer dollars get increasingly creative in hiding public records. Their new tool is the Boeing ruling, a decision from the Texas Supreme Court that lowered the threshold for arguing competitive bidding as an exemption from disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act. It gives governments an easier path to claim that competitive bidding concerns should allow them to keep records secret. And, businesses can now make the claim, too. Those attempting to censor records under Boeing have sought approximately 1,500 rulings from [...]

FOI Column: Boeing ruling stretched, twisted to keep government records secretFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:33-05:00

Reversing course, Austin council to reveal city manager finalists

FOIFT2017-11-10T15:19:09-06:00

By Elizabeth Findell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 9, 2017 Austin City Council members will reverse course on their secret search for a city manager and release up to five finalists’ names in the next few days, a week after the American-Statesman staked out candidate interviews and sued the city over refusing to release records on the search. Stephen Newton, a representative of search firm Russell Reynolds, told the council Thursday that he recommended making the finalists’ names public — a departure from his previous advice, and from a decision the council made in March to keep the process confidential until [...]

Reversing course, Austin council to reveal city manager finalistsFOIFT2017-11-10T15:19:09-06:00

Austin American-Statesman sues city of Austin over city manager secrecy

FOIFT2017-11-01T02:33:58-05:00

By Philip Jankowski and Elizabeth Findell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Oct. 31, 2017 The American-Statesman has sued the city of Austin after officials denied requests under the Texas Public Information Act to disclose the identities of finalists for city manager. The Statesman filed the suit Tuesday in a Travis County district court as the Austin City Council began the first of two days of interviewing finalists. The lawsuit seeks disclosure of the city manager candidates’ names. The Statesman has independently confirmed the identities of four of the candidates. “The residents of Austin will be paying the salary for a new city manager, [...]

Austin American-Statesman sues city of Austin over city manager secrecyFOIFT2017-11-01T02:33:58-05:00

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