School District superintendent wants $5,000 for FOIA request
From Sunshine Review
2 November 2008
Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 Superintendent Melvin Smoak is charging $5,000 in order to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act request for receipts of his travel expenses during last year. The request was made by school choice advocacy group South Carolinians for Responsible Government.[1]
[edit] Confusion over request
Smoak had quoted SCRG $5,000, including a $2,500 deposit, as an "educated guess" on what it would cost to gather and compile the information, along with attorney fees. He said their request is for any and all correspondence related to his employment contract and travel from 2007-08.
The FOIA request asked for “any and all files, records, reports, written correspondence (including emails), memoranda, contracts, agreements, or other documents” relating to Smoak's contract, including amendments, and expense reports for any conference he attended.[1] SCRG President Randy Page maintains all he wants is the superintendent's travel receipts.
[edit] Highest charge of all districts
Page said the request to Smoak is similar to ones they sent out to all 85 district superintendents throughout the state. Smoak's $5,000 charge is the highest, with Berkeley County School District coming in second at $3,600. Page said a number of districts charged little or nothing to fulfill the request.
