A reply from Denise and a response
Denise Duda replied to my earlier email about the retracted Prata letter. Here's my response:
Hi Denise.
Thanks for your followup. I reviewed the Jan. 17 council video. Here's a summary of what transpired during the Prata letter exchange:
Just as you started reading Elizabeth Prata's letter, Gary Foster interrupts you and asks to see it, saying he "knew there was one that she (Prata) had retracted." You then show the letter to Foster and ask him if it had been read at a previous meeting. Foster says he isn't sure. After reviewing the letter for a few moments, Foster says he had received two letters from Prata, one of which Prata read earlier that evening and another that he "canned." He hands the letter back to you, and you say that you would not read a letter that somebody wanted retracted. A few moments later you say you don't know what to do. At this point Prata (off camera) says something about the letter being part of the public record. You ask if you should read it, but due to its length you decide to enter it into the record.
My interest in the retracted letter stems from Gary Foster's apparently arbitrary decision to delete a public document. Once a letter becomes part of the record, it is inconceivable to me that it can be retracted, even by the writer. Foster's deletion of Prata's original letter may qualify as destruction of public documents. Perhaps you can inform him that his action was irresponsible at best and possibly illegal.
Incidentally, I paid fifty cents at town hall to get copies of a document that turned out not to be the retracted document I asked for. I kept the receipt. Can I get a refund?
Thanks again,
Paul
Hi Denise.
Thanks for your followup. I reviewed the Jan. 17 council video. Here's a summary of what transpired during the Prata letter exchange:
Just as you started reading Elizabeth Prata's letter, Gary Foster interrupts you and asks to see it, saying he "knew there was one that she (Prata) had retracted." You then show the letter to Foster and ask him if it had been read at a previous meeting. Foster says he isn't sure. After reviewing the letter for a few moments, Foster says he had received two letters from Prata, one of which Prata read earlier that evening and another that he "canned." He hands the letter back to you, and you say that you would not read a letter that somebody wanted retracted. A few moments later you say you don't know what to do. At this point Prata (off camera) says something about the letter being part of the public record. You ask if you should read it, but due to its length you decide to enter it into the record.
My interest in the retracted letter stems from Gary Foster's apparently arbitrary decision to delete a public document. Once a letter becomes part of the record, it is inconceivable to me that it can be retracted, even by the writer. Foster's deletion of Prata's original letter may qualify as destruction of public documents. Perhaps you can inform him that his action was irresponsible at best and possibly illegal.
Incidentally, I paid fifty cents at town hall to get copies of a document that turned out not to be the retracted document I asked for. I kept the receipt. Can I get a refund?
Thanks again,
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: gpduda1@netscape.net
To: jpo@maine.rr.com
Cc: ajupham@aol.com ; gfoster@securespeed.net ; mcrane@maine.rr.com ; townmanager@graymaine.org ; KL7@netzero.net
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: FOA request
Paul,
I know there was some mention of a withdrawn letter at the last meeting. I haven't been asked by any citizens to withdraw a letter. The letter I brought was viewed by the author who had no problem with it being read aloud. Either way it would be and was entered into Council record.
Denise
posted 1/23/2006 LINK
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