Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council
A representative government is dependent on an informed electorate
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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingFOR 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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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, […]
Continue ReadingState law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law. […]
Continue ReadingMinutes 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, […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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, […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingThe 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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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, […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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, […]
Continue ReadingA Wisconsin court of appeals has finally put to rest some of the questions over what information must be withheld under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, or DPPA. Its recent decision ends years of confusion in a way that squares with the state’s traditions of openness — and with common sense. The DPPA was enacted […]
Continue ReadingTwo years ago, the Fond du Lac School District unveiled new guidelines requiring administrative review and approval before the publication of any student media. The reaction by students was swift, democratic and effective. Within days, they had publicized the change online, presented their case at a school board meeting, appeared on local media, and gathered […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingAs 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 […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin 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 […]
Continue ReadingDear 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 […]
Continue ReadingTransparency in government is vital to a healthy democracy. Wisconsin has a long tradition of openness with regard to public meetings and records, including what may be the nation’s first state records law, enacted in 1849. What follows is a list of resources for citizens and government officials regarding open government in Wisconsin. The full […]
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