Metro Councilman Kelly Downard just sent the following message to Metro Animal Services regarding an ongoing snafu with Fischer’s Administration and LMAS going out of their way to prevent No Kill Louisville’s Jessica Reid from gaining access to public records:
Donald, I know that you and Justin are new to Metro government but your associates are not. This all started as an open records request and as such is governed by law. The three days are up. I also am aware that the records requested are hard to get and needed a special time. That is all fine and good but on specific time during a two week period seems a little unusual. May I suggest that if that is the only time you are available then get someone else to do it. If there is no one else to do it then we have a staffing issue. And please do not ask anyone to do it on overtime. Now, let’s get moving and cooperate with one of the major organizations in Louisville who knows and understands what your problems are whether you like the people and methodology or not. Thank you for your help. Kelly
That, dear readers, is leadership. Someone offering guidance and pushing for a resolution.
Reid has tried for several weeks to gain access to records and went out of her way to wait additional weeks. She went so far as to offer a two-week period of time inDecember during which she was flexible. LMAS and Fischer’s folks couldn’t even handle that.
We’ll (not NKL) be filing a lawsuit next week if Fischer and LMAS don’t want to abide by the law.
This has to end sometime and apparently no one else has the balls to stand up. If anybody wants to assist me in this effort, email me directly.
Jake
UPDATE 20min later: 11 people have emailed me in just 20 minutes. Three attorneys offering to work together and a wealthy business leader offering to bankroll the effort.
Horribly disappointing that it’s come to this for our city.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Greg Fischer won’t allow anyone to ask him questions on his public Facebook wall that’s managed with taxpayer dollars. So No Kill Louisville is asking LMAS fosters if they’ve ever been contacted.
You can just go ahead and assume what the constant answer happens to be.
18 responses so far ↓
1 Dr.B // Dec 9, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Way to go, Kelly Downard!
2 Jessica Reid // Dec 9, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Kelly Downard has made this democrat see republican…
I’m embarrassed by the lack of transparency of this administration and the frustration I’ve dealt with through this whole process – which should have been simple and straight forward.
*sigh* naivety has left me for good
3 Steve // Dec 9, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Looks like Kelly got there attention. Mayor, don’t you think you need to be in the leading role on this too?
4 curtis morrison // Dec 9, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Go Kelly for doing exactly what members of Metro Council should be doing – being a voice for constituents & questioning the mayor’s administration when it is so clearly out of line.
5 RP // Dec 9, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Open Records is just NOT that difficult to understand.
6 blowin' in the wind // Dec 9, 2011 at 6:17 pm
All of the above is why this independent did NOT vote for Greg Fischer and the first year of his administration simply shows how right I was. Kentucky needs a recall law–just as many other states do. Who will have the gumption to propose this in the 2012 session?
7 jake // Dec 9, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I maintain that Greg has the ability to be a great mayor.
I also maintain that he will end up being one of the worst in Louisville history.
8 bsttharp // Dec 9, 2011 at 6:43 pm
Thank you Kelly for taking a stand on what is correct and ethical. You have always done that. I totally respect your leadership. Others sit by and do nothing, turn their heads and not do their jobs appropriately!!! I for one have always supported you. You’re AWESOME for helping us protect our city’s animals. Our city’s leadership simply does not care enough how we treat our animals or care for them. Personally, I’m sick to death of PROMISES that are NOT KEPT!!! I WANT TRANPARENCY IN THIS CITY and I want this city working on NO KILL as was PROMISED!!!
9 valleygirl // Dec 10, 2011 at 6:26 am
Are they truly that clueless on open records or do they think everyone else is? File an immediate appeal with the attorney general and you will win – that is the next step.
10 jake // Dec 10, 2011 at 11:15 am
Not wasting my time with Jack Conway.
11 valleygirl // Dec 11, 2011 at 6:50 am
Problem is — that is the process. I am not sure they wil even accept a lawsuit on OR until you get an AG decision. And a decision in you favor that is not immediately complied with puts you at the head of the line in court ahead of almost every other case except criminal trials with speedy trial concerns. From following your stories you are in the right and the person who does them operates almost independently – remember they are more than willing to buck the big dogs on open records.
12 jake // Dec 11, 2011 at 10:40 am
Problem is – that’s not the process when the person making the request has a conflict of interest with that office. My attorneys believe that’s the case with me and I’ll have nothing to do with Jack Conway, a laughable guy.
Jack has proved on several occasions that he is not willing to rule against his friends when I make requests – see the time he rejected a simple request for Todd Hollenbach. Greg Fischer’s money = Jack’s friend.
13 Bonnie L // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Thank you, Mr. Downard for your actions and willingness to stand up for the people and animals. I have always felt you were a man of integrity, and want to do what’s right. I am just sorry that you have to sit on council with so many losers who are afraid to speak up, or do the right thing. At least the voters have one council member in their corner.
14 jake // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:31 pm
It should be noted that Kelly isn’t taking an activist position – he’s merely standing up for honesty and transparency.
15 totalfailure // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Jim King should be ashamed of himself for not doing a damn thing. What a coward! His wife has bigger balls then he does.
16 jake // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Debbie does have large cojones.
Jim just wants to do things behind the scenes and it’s not gonna cut it in this case.
17 valleygirl // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Conway does not even see most open records appeals – and the person who does them is passionate about it. She holds their feet to the fire. I read every OR decision that is issued and she follows the letter and the intent of the law. I will have to research it tomorrow but every OR lawsuit I have every read starts first with an OR decision and I cannot recall any in recent years that overturned the ag decision.
18 jake // Dec 11, 2011 at 7:39 pm
If you think Jack doesn’t personally see anything I send that office, you haven’t been paying attention. Ha.
I have proved that the letter and intent of the law is NOT followed. I.E., Todd Hollenbach.
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