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Residents urge better FOIA compliance as records disputes continue
Summary
Multiple residents raised concerns about delayed or incomplete FOIA responses and a pending FOIA appeal; the city manager explained FOIA fees and deposit rules and said staff follow statutory fee components.
Residents told the council the city's handling of Freedom of Information Act requests has been inconsistent and sometimes obstructive. "Transparency is not optional. It is a legal obligation," a commenter said during public comment and urged council to administer the Michigan FOIA "consistent with both the letter and spirit of the Michigan law."
Another speaker identified himself as Davinci McFarland and described filing FOIA 26-115 for records related to a May 20 incident; he said the city produced only a police report and did not provide related denials or a warrant affidavit he requested, and he said he expects to pursue litigation to obtain records. The city manager later explained how FOIA fees are calculated — labor to locate records at the hourly rate of the city's lowest paid capable employee, redaction labor, and duplication/mailing — and said the city requires a 50% deposit when estimated fees exceed $50.
Council members received a report noting a FOIA appeal (2026-64) for the record. The discussion in public comment and the administration report left outstanding questions about specific missing documents the speakers sought; residents said litigation has been required in some cases to obtain records.
