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Local resident criticizes city over delays in public records release related to 2022 cyberattack
Summary
A resident told council that the city has repeatedly delayed releasing records related to a 2022 cyberattack, described court interventions and fines, and urged the council to review use of previously allocated funds for records-related work and transparency improvements.
During the public-comment period of the Jan. 27 Mount Vernon City Council meeting, resident Joshua Morrison criticized the city’s handling of public records requests tied to a Dec. 2022 cyberattack and said he had repeatedly sought court enforcement to obtain documents.
Morrison said he filed a routine public-records request about the cyberattack and experienced delays, ultimately seeking court intervention. He said a special master and the court ordered documents released, but that the city did not comply promptly; he described repeated filings, contempt actions and fines that added up over a two‑year period. He said an outside investigation was performed and a report exists but that the city has not publicly released that report.
“The court again ordered the city to release the documents and to pay penalties by mid‑March,” Morrison said, and he told council he had filed additional actions to enforce compliance. He also said council previously allocated approximately $161,000 from a rainy‑day fund for related work but that “nothing has been done.”
Morrison urged council to review the projects and funds approved to ensure they are used effectively and to set clear deadlines and measurable progress for work funded to address the records, cyber response and related transparency issues. He called for greater accountability and for publicly releasing the findings from the investigation into the cyberattack.
Council did not indicate any immediate action in response to the speaker during the meeting. Morrison ended his remarks urging the council to treat transparency and accountability as rights and essentials rather than privileges.
Votes at a glance: No formal council action was taken during the meeting in response to the public comment; the matter remains a public-records and enforcement issue between resident and the city/courts.
