Second Open Records Request for Information Presented to the PTAs

To:          Tom Bowen, DeKalb Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Atkinson

CC:        Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, DeKalb Board of Commissioners, CEO Burrell Ellis, Get The Cell Out Atlanta, DeKalb Delegation, Crossroads Newspaper, On Common Ground Newspaper, Champion Newspaper, and all appropriate parties

From:     Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter

Date:      2/15/2012

Second Open Records Request for Information Presented to the PTAs of schools scheduled for construction permits on Cell Phone Towers

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Law (O.C.G.A 50-18-70 et seq.) (the Law) and/or Freedom of Information Act, you are hereby requested to make available for review and copying all files, records, tapes, and other documents in your possessions that refer or relate to the information presented to the PTAs of the schools scheduled for construction permits on cell phone towers to include the following:

• Original date, time, and place the PTAs were instructed to inform the parents and community about the construction of cell towers on the school grounds.

• Name and position of the PTA members that held the meetings to inform the parents and community about the construction of cell towers on school grounds.

• The method the PTAs used to inform the parents and community about the construction of cell towers on school grounds.

To ensure transparency, open government, and public involvement, we need to verify the original dates, names, methods, etc. the PTAs used to inform the parents and community about the construction of cell phone towers on school grounds.  The property owners are complaining that they have received the “run around” in trying to get information on the cell phone tower issue.
 
The homeowners living within the residential areas of these proposed new locations of cell towers want to know what law permits T-Mobile to ignore our local zoning ordinances.  Get The Cell Out Atlanta and Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter has made it a mission to answer these questions and concerns.  This is our second request due to the fact that our first request was not answered nor did we receive a reply.  We have no choice but to forward this email to the Office of the Attorney General. 

If this request is denied in whole or in part, we ask that you cite in writing the specific statutory exemption upon which you have relied, as required by law.  We also ask that you release all separate portions of otherwise exempt material.  Please waive any costs associated with this request, or first inform us about costs as required by Georgia law.

As you know, the Law requires a response by you within three business days of your receipt of this letter and provides sanctions for non-compliance.  I look forward to hearing from you.