Resident alleges Drain Commission mishandled records and favored third party in FOIA dispute

During the public comment period at the June 23 Ingham County Board of Commissioners meeting, Laura Shue, who identified herself as power of attorney for county resident Janet Shue, said her parents were served with a mediation request and threatened with a lawsuit by a buyer who requested drainage records.

Shue said that in 2021 a Drain Operations worker, Randy Daniels, told the buyer there was “no problem with the drain” after a severe storm and that the buyer later sought the 2021 report. Shue asserted that Deputy Drain Commissioner Paul Pratt then directed staff to provide the buyer with records for the entire drainage district without having her go through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process, while Ingham County hired an attorney to respond to the same FOIA request when Shue sought the records.

“The government was supposed to be the neutral keeper of public records, not a willing participant in weaponizing against longtime senior citizens,” Shue told commissioners, asking whether Pratt’s actions reflected Ingham County values.

The minutes record the complaint and the materials Shue provided were included as attachments to the minutes. The board did not take immediate formal action on the statement during the meeting; the item was part of the evening’s public comment record and was included in the official minutes for follow-up.

The minutes identify the Drain Commissioner’s Office staff named by Shue (Deputy Drain Commissioner Paul Pratt and Drain Operations Worker Randy Daniels) and note that county staff had been in contact with the parties. No direct response from Pratt or the Drain Commissioner appears in the meeting record provided; the board did not announce specific follow-up steps during the meeting.