• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Monday, June 16, 2025
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

City’s emails generated on private server sought

Debbie Coleman-Topi by Debbie Coleman-Topi
July 3, 2019
in Parkville
4
SHARES
96
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

The attorney for a group opposed to a massive Parkville development again is requesting city officials provide emails regarding the project that were generated on private servers, disputing the city’s claims that such emails have been provided.

In a letter dated Monday, Graves Garrett law firm, who represents Jason Maki of Citizens for a Better Parkville, stated that the city provided only one email generated from a private server despite the city’s claims that they have been forthcoming with such information.

RelatedNews

Historic ‘local gem’ being preserved

Summer concerts set on courthouse lawn

Parkville to decide use tax, sales tax on weed

A copy of the letter to the city also was sent to the Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. The letter is among a series of letters mailed to Schmitt, complaining that city officials have violated the Sunshine Law, a state statute protecting citizen rights to government transparency.

City officials earlier declined to provide emails generated on private accounts, stating they are not subject to Sunshine Law. But the latest letter states that requested emails sent or received on the mayor’s or aldermen’s personal email accounts should fall under the law since aldermen are not provided a city email account and therefore use private email addresses in discussing city business. “…it appears that the city has not produced responsive emails from private email accounts—despite its legal duty and its assurances to the Attorney General,” the letter states.

An earlier letter from the city of Parkville to the attorney general states that the city has complied with the private email request by providing 5,000 “private” emails. But in attorney Andrew Alexander’s latest letter he states that, with only one exception, the city has provided no private emails because of the absence of the entire email stream of conversation, in effect blocking access to some information.

“The city appears to otherwise have only produced emails from private email accounts that were copied to a city email address,” the letter states.

Eddie Greim, another Graves Garrett attorney, said during a telephone interview, “I think they’re playing fast and loose with the facts.”

In addition, Greim said city officials are “holding emails hostage” by stating that Maki’s earlier payment of about $6,500 is not enough to cover copying costs as allowed in the statewide law. City officials earlier have stated that the amount of information requested justifies the additional charges of about $3,000.

City officials have been holding some information at city hall in lieu of the additional payment. The latest letter states that the private emails requested should fall under the fees already paid by Maki.

Maki said city officials should release the private emails in order to comply with the code of conduct as listed on the city’s website.

“They are bound to observe in their official acts the highest standards of morality and to discharge faithfully the duties of their office, regardless of personal considerations, recognizing that the public interest must be their primary concern,” the code states. “Their conduct in both their official and private affairs should be above reproach.”

Greim said Citizens for a Better Parkville is also requesting that private emails be preserved even if officials don’t release the information as requested.

However, Greim declined to state if litigation is pending and said he doesn’t expect to be alerted ahead of time if the attorney general’s office decides to act.

“We’re not going to get a tip-off,” he said.

Tags: parkvilleplatte countySunshine Laws
Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie’s journalism career officially began at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she was trained. Her works have appeared in the Kansas City Star and its former Sunday Magazine, the Independence Examiner and TWINS Magazine. Since 2016, Debbie has written for The Landmark, where she has reported on a wide range of Platte County area issues and people.

Related Posts

Bryan Richison

Platte City makes offer to man from Arnold, Mo.

by Ivan Foley
June 13, 2025
0

BRYAN RICHISON MAY BECOME NEW CITY ADMINISTRATOR Matthew Bryan Richison has been offered the position as the new city administrator for Platte City. The Platte City Board of Aldermen is holding a special closed session today (Friday) at 4:30 to...

45 Years Ago–June 6, 1980

by Ivan Foley
June 12, 2025
0

Paul Regan, manager of Ferrelgas of Platte City, Bethel Road, is the new fire chief for the Platte City volunteer fire department. His selection by the other members of the fire department was approved by the Platte City Board of...

30 Years Ago–June 15, 1995

by Ivan Foley
June 12, 2025
0

Platte County Commission plans to build a new bridge across Jowler Creek on Interurban Road just south of Camden Point have hit a snag because the existing bridge has been declared of “historical significance,” it was announced Thursday. Platte County...

15 Years Ago–June 16, 2010

by Ivan Foley
June 12, 2025
0

City of Parkville officials on Monday warned of high water in English Landing Park and changes for the upcoming River Jam event that may be caused by it. As of 12:30 p.m. Monday, water levels had reached 27.25 feet, flooding...

Next Post

Ex-state trooper charged with possession of child porn

Popular News

  • Bryan Richison

    Platte City makes offer to man from Arnold, Mo.

    39 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • Detectives speaking with ‘person of interest’ in shooting death of sports reporter

    64 shares
    Share 26 Tweet 16
  • KC man charged in shooting death of local sports reporter

    34 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • I-29 pedestrian struck by three vehicles dies at scene

    72 shares
    Share 29 Tweet 18
  • Input sought for Downtown Platte City

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved