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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRequestAngela Podufalski From: Mary Mills Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2012 7:52 AM To: Angela Podufalski Subject: FW: Freedom of Information Law Request - August 31, 2012 Page 1 of 2Freedom of Information Law Request - August 31, 2012 09/04/2012 Letting you do from start to finish on this one Mary From: James LaVeck [mailto:james@tribeofheart.org] Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 1:12 AM To: Mary Mills Subject: Freedom of Information Law Request - August 31, 2012 August 31, 2012 Board of Trustees Village of Cayuga Heights Marcham Hall 836 Hanshaw Road Ithaca, New York 14850 Dear Trustees: Under the provisions of the New York Freedom of Information Law, Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, I hereby request a copy of records or portions thereof pertaining to (or containing the following): 1. All communications/correspondence/memos/emails (including all notes regarding conversations in person or by phone or by video chat) from June 11, 2012 to the present between Village officials/Village appointees/Village employees and: a) Dr. Paul Curtis and/or colleagues and/or members of his staff/team including but not limited to Jay Boulanger; b) Faculty and/or staff members of Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and/or Lab of Ornithology and/or the Department of Natural Resources, including but not limited to Bernd Blossey; c) The firm White Buffalo and/or any of this firm's staff members/sub-contractors, including but not limited to Anthony DeNicola, and/or any other agencies or wildlife management firms or consultants that provide deer culling services, deer population studies, deer sterilization or other similar/related services; and d) Tim Miller Associates and/or other environmental consultants/consulting firms. 2. From June 11, 2012 to the present, any Requests for Proposal (RFPs) or draft RFPs, proposals, contracts, or communications/correspondence/memos/emails/notes connected with the provision of services by third parties related to deer management in Cayuga Heights. 3. From June 11, 2012 to the present, records of any funds disbursed for any activities related to deer management. 4. From June 11, 2012 to the present, all documents, correspondence, lists, diagrams, maps and/or analyses connected in any way with the use of land/properties/facilities/structures/locations in and/or around Cayuga Heights for deer management activities. 5. From June 11, 2012 to the present, all communications/correspondence/memos/emails/notes (including all notes regarding conversations in person or by phone or by video chat) between Village officials/Village appointees/Village employees and any third parties, including but not limited to insurance agents/insurance company representatives, safety consultants/experts, mental health consultants/experts, animal science/animal welfare experts/consultants on topics related to: a) Deer management activities; b) Killing of deer in proximity to homes; c) Public safety, legal, financial and physical/mental health risks associated with the carrying out of deer management activities, including but not limited to discharge of weapons in Cayuga Heights; d) Potential legal or financial liabilities to individual residents who authorize the use of their property for deer management activities; e) Use of "net and bolt" or any other alternative to shooting as a method of killing deer; f) The possibility or risk of the Village's planned deer management activities violating New York State's animal cruelty statutes and/or measures taken to insure these statues and other laws/regulations pertaining the humane treatment of animals will be followed. 6. From Nov. 16, 2011 to the present, any documents/materials/applications submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in connection with the village's "deer remediation" plan, including, but not limited to, materials/documents related to the process of applying for/receiving any permits/permission/authorization from the DEC for actions related in any way to deer management. 7. From Nov. 16, 2011 to the present, any permits/permissions/authorizations received from the DEC for actions related in any way to deer management. Under current New York State law, if an agency has the ability to scan records in order to transmit them via email and doing so will not involve any effort additional to an alternative method of responding, it is required to do so. In that instance, transferring a paper record into electronic format would eliminate any need to collect and account for money owed or paid for preparing paper copies, as well as tasks that would otherwise be carried out. In addition, when a paper record is converted into a digital image it remains available in electronic format for future use. If all the requested records cannot be emailed to me, please inform me by email of the portions that cannot be emailed and advise me of the cost for reproducing the remainder of the records requested. If, for any reason, any portion of my request is denied, please inform me of the reasons for the denial in writing and provide the name and address of the person or body to whom an appeal should be directed. As you know, the Freedom of Information Law requires that an agency respond to a request within five business days of receipt of a request. Therefore, I would appreciate a response as soon as possible and look forward to hearing from you shortly. Sincerely, James LaVeck PO Box 373 Ithaca, NY 14851 contact@cayugadeer.org Page 2 of 2Freedom of Information Law Request - August 31, 2012 09/04/2012