Springfield residents may soon know more about events this spring that led to the abrupt resignation of city attorney Mark Cullen and retirement of Police Chief Robert Williams.
On Tuesday, July 30th, the City Council will decide whether to release the audio recording and transcript of a closed-door meeting about the shredding of police internal affairs files.
The May 7th executive session was the first real opportunity for all City Council members to ask Cullen about the lawsuit that had been lawsuit filed May 2nd by attorneys for Calvin Christian. The suit alleges the city violated public records laws when it quietly amended its records retention policies for police files and destroyed around 30 documents, some of which Christian had been seeking through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Alds. Frank Edwards, Doris Turner and Cory Jobe have co-sponsored an ordinance that would make most of the closed May 7th session part of the public record. Although Jobe says he's doubtful the public will get any new information from the tapes, he thinks sharing them is part of "open and honest city government":
The ordinance has been placed on emergency passage and will be voted on during a special session of the full City Council Tuesday night. The regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee of the Whole will follow.
