Otsego County, NY, led by County Attorney, wife-of-a-judge Ellen Coccoma, adamantly disobeys New York Freedom of Information Law

I wrote in my previous blog about efforts of Otsego County, led by the County Attorney and wife-of-a-judge Ellen Coccoma, to stonewall requests for public records made by homeowner Maria Ajello and by the Otsego Board's own representative Betty Anne Shrewd.

I would like to now point out how the Otsego County, led by the County Attorney and wife-of-a-judge Ellen Coccoma, openly announces to the public that certain public records are "for County employees only".

Here is the website of the Otsego County, New York.

It says the following about the goal of why the website was even created:

Yet, if you think that Otsego County wants to be inquirer-friendly and abide by State Freedom of Information Laws, you are wrong.
Yet
Below there are two statements: one prominent, the other - not so prominent.

The prominent one announces the sale of "surplus" by the County on Ebay.

The not-so-prominent one announces that County e-mails are for "County employees only"

 

Yet, such a statement is against the law.

Telephone numbers of public officials, including County-assigned and purchased (or paid-for) cell phones AND County-assigned e-mails are public records.

I encourage my readers to file FOIL requests to Otsego County to ask to provide them, within 5 business days, such information.

I request your feedback as to the County's responses to such requests, and I will make my own FOIL requests and will share with you the County's response to them.

Stay tuned.