Candidate Survey 2018

Search the 2018 Survey Results We surveyed all candidates for State legislative offices with the following questions: Ending the legislature’s exemption for open records retention:  Do you support ending the exemption in the state’s records retention law for members of the Legislature, which would make lawmakers subject to the same retention rules as all other […]

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July 19, 2018

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council July 19, 2018 minutes Capital Newspapers auditorium 1. Call to order and introductions. The meeting was called to order at 2:03 p.m. In attendance were Dee Hall, Tom Kamenick, John Foust, Orville Seymer, Tom Bier, Kyle Geissler, Doug Wojcik, Larry Gallup, Bob Drechsel, Ivan Moreno, Christa Westerberg, Bill Lueders, April […]

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April 11, 2018

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council April 11, 2018 minutes Capital Newspapers auditorium 1) Call to order and introductions. The meeting was called to order at 2 p.m. In attendance were Dee Hall, Tom Kamenick, Paul Johnson, Larry Gallup, Jonathan Anderson, Orville Seymer, Tom Bier, Kyle Geissler, Doug Wojcik, Dave Zweifel, Bob Dreps, Ernie Franzen, Mary […]

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Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council names ‘Opee’ winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bill Lueders (608) 669-4712 March 7, 2018 Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council names ‘Opee’ winners Gov. Scott Walker, several journalists and a courageous private-sector employee are among those honored by the 2017-18 Openness Awards, or Opees, bestowed annually by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council. The state Legislature, meanwhile, is being […]

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January 25, 2018

                    Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council January 25, 2018 minutes Capital Newspapers Auditorium Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 2:06 p.m. In attendance were Bill Lueders, April Rockstead Barker, Christa Westerberg, Beth Bennett (by phone), Ivan Moreno, Bob Drechsel, Tom Kamenick, Jason Joyce, Andy Hall, Sean Dwyer, Doug Wojcik, Kyle Geissler, […]

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October 26, 2017

Minutes of Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Meeting October 26, 2017 Capital Newspapers Auditorium Minutes taken by FOIC member Orville Seymer 1. Call to order and introductions. In attendance: Mark Pitsch, Kyle Geissler, Doug Wojcik, Mike King, Ernie Franzen, Katie Dean, Ivan Moreno, Bob Dreps, Christa Westerberg, Bill Lueders, April Barker, Tom Kamenick, John Foust, […]

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July 13, 2017

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council July 13, 2017 meeting minutes Capital Newspapers Auditorium 1. Call to order and introductions. In attendance were Dee Hall, Tom Kamenick, Jason Joyce, John Foust, Andy Hall, Jonathan Anderson, Orville Seymer, Ernie Franzen, Kyle Geissler, Tom Bier, Mark Pitsch, Rusty Cunningham, Bob Dreps, Bob Drechsel, Christa Westerberg, Bill Lueders and […]

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April 20, 2017

                     Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council April 20, 2017 minutes Capital Newspapers Auditorium 1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m. In attendance were Dee Hall, Neil Johnson, John Foust, Larry Gallup, Jonathan Anderson, Orville Seymer, Sean Dwyer, Kyle Geissler, Mark Pitsch, Doug Wojcik, Andy Hall, Bob Drechsel, Tom Bier, […]

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April 7, 2016

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council April 7, 2016 meeting Capital Newspapers Auditorium 1) Call to order and introductions. In attendance were Bill Lueders, Bob Dreps, Tom Kamenick, Orville Seymer, Julia Hunter, Dave Zweifel, John Foust, Bob Drechsel, Mike Buelow, Mark Pitsch, Larry Gallup, Tom Bier, Dave Haynes, April Barker, Andy Hall, Doug Glass, Paul Ferguson […]

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Our Mission

The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council seeks to safeguard access to information that citizens must have to act responsibly in a free and democratic society. We cherish Wisconsin’s Open Records and Open Meetings Laws, which declare that because “a representative government is dependent on an informed electorate,” all persons are entitled to the most information […]

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January 19, 2017

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Jan. 19, 2017 Capital Newspapers Auditorium Call to order. The meeting was called to order at 2:07 p.m. In attendance were Dee J. Hall, Tom Kamenick, Neil Johnson, Larry Gallup, Jonathan Anderson, Orville Seymer, Beth Bennett, Andy Hall, Mark Pitsch, Kyle Geissler, Sean Dwyer, Bob Drechsel, Tom Bier, Rusty Cunningham, […]

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October 12, 2016

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Minutes of the Oct. 12, 2016 meeting Capital Newspapers auditorium ​Call to order and introductions.​ The meeting was called to order at 2:05 p.m. In attendance were Bill Lueders, Dee Hall, Steve Lovejoy, Orville Seymer, Larry Gallup, Mark Pitsch, Jonathan Anderson, Kyle Geissler, Tom Bier, Andy Hall, Bob Drechsel, Bob […]

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July 21, 2016

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Minutes July 21, 2016 meeting Capital Newspapers auditorium Call to order and introductions.​ The meeting was called to order at 2 p.m. In attendance were Dee J. Hall, Rusty Cunningham, Beth Bennett, Michelle Vetterkind, Tom Bier, Dave Zweifel, Andy Hall, Orville Seymer, Mark Pitsch, Larry Gallup, Neil Johnson, Bob Dreps, […]

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April 7, 2016

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council  April 7, 2016 meeting Capital Newspapers Auditorium Call to order and introductions.​ In attendance were Bill Lueders, Bob Dreps, Tom Kamenick, Orville Seymer, Julia Hunter, Dave Zweifel, John Foust, Bob Drechsel, Mike Buelow, Mark Pitsch, Larry Gallup,  Tom Bier, Dave Haynes, April Barker, Andy Hall, Doug Glass, Paul Ferguson and […]

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Problem areas in open government

As identified by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council 1. Long waits. The Open Records Law states that requested records must be provided “as soon as practicable and without delay.” It adds that providing access to information “is declared to be … an integral part of the routine duties of [public] officers and employees.” But […]

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January 14, 2016

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Jan. 14, 2016 meeting Capital Newspapers Auditorium   Call to order and introductions. The meeting was called to order at 1:35 p.m. In attendance were Dee Hall, Bill Lueders, April Barker, Christa Westerberg, Bob Dreps, John Foust, Bob Drechsel, Steve Lovejoy, Mike Buelow, Larry Gallup, Tom Bier, Ernie Franzen, Beth […]

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Development in Public Records Board case

Dear Council members and supporters: Matthew Blessing, the chair of the state Public Records Board, has just released to me the attached statement, in response to the verified complaint filed by the Council early this week. The statement says the Board intends to revisit the agenda items from its Aug. 24 meeting that were the […]

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