The structure advisory committee is alleged to have produced its findings and conclusions to the commission without first holding a public vote, a violation of Oregon statutes, and further, dissenting members of the committee have submitted a contradictory “minority” report. This has not stopped some members of the governance committee from using the “majority” report recommendation to hire an administrator to draft some rough talking points. Earlier this month Commissioner Fred Messerle received a letter requesting that the committee hold a public vote and now attorney Nathan Rietmann has asked Sheriff Craig Zanni to release emails and attachments related to the structure advisory committee.

Pursuant to ORS 192.440, I am writing to respectfully request copies of all emails, and attachments thereto, that you have sent or received from any of the following individuals between the dates of August 11, 2011 and February 23, 2012, which in anyway relate to the business of the Coos County Structure Committee:

JJ. McLeod
Daniella Kellum
Laird Bryan
Timm Slater
Jon Barton
Al Pettit
Fred Messerle

This request does not extend to any document that is attorney client privileged.

If it is possible to provide the requested records solely in electronic format, I would greatly appreciate it. To the extent some of the requested records are deemed exempt from disclosure under ORS 192.501 and 192.502, please separate the exempt and nonexempt material and make the nonexempt material available in accordance with 192.505.

Previously, attempts to receive copies of employee questionnaires resulted in county counsel wanting to charge me hundreds of dollars to use a marks-a-lot to redact names. The email records may not include all the data the committee leaders chose to use to justify their report findings but they may provide some insight into how the committee functioned outside of public view.