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Hillsdale council denies two FOIA appeals from resident Penny Swan
Summary
Resident Penny Swan appealed two FOIA decisions seeking emails from Councilman Matthew Bentley and Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino; the council denied both appeals on 8-1 votes, with Mayor Scott Sessions the sole Nay. City Attorney Tom Thompson answered council questions during the hearings.
Resident Penny Swan appealed two city Freedom of Information Act decisions on May 4, asking that the council order additional release of emails. The council denied both appeals after discussion of process and legal limits.
Swan first appealed a decision concerning emails related to Councilman Matthew Bentley. After Swan ‘‘pled her case’’ and council members questioned procedural points, City Attorney Tom Thompson responded to council questions about the FOIA appeal process. Council Member Matthew Bentley moved to deny the appeal; Council Member Joshua Paladino seconded. The motion carried 8-1; Mayor Scott Sessions voted Nay.
Swan then presented a second appeal concerning emails tied to Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino. The council again discussed the scope of FOIA requests and appeal procedures, and Council Member Bentley moved to deny the second appeal; Council Member Gary Wolfram seconded. That motion also passed 8-1, with Mayor Sessions the sole dissenting vote.
The transcript records that attorneys and council members focused on FOIA process and appeal requirements; it does not record direct verbatim quotations from Swan or council members to include here. The record does not identify which specific FOIA statute or administrative rule was applied; the council’s action is recorded only as formal denials of the two appeals.
The denials were final council actions at the May 4 meeting. There was no recorded direction in the meeting minutes for further review or referral to an external authority. The council continued to other agenda items following the rulings and adjourned at 8:53 p.m.
