Darien Accused Of 'Wildly Inappropriate' Release Of Info

DARIEN, IL – A critic of Darien's city government told officials this week that the city made a "wildly inappropriate" release of information.

But a Darien official said the city complied with state law.

At issue is the city's release to Patch of resident Nikki Giancola-Shanks's email, including her email address, with her questions to the city about a donation that the new Burlington store made to Darien School District 61.

Some residents in Center Cass School District 66 have said they suspect that the city requested the store donate to District 61, rather than District 66, where the store is.

After Patch contacted her, Giancola-Shanks emailed Mayor Joseph Marchese and copied City Administrator Bryon Vana and the entire City Council.

She described herself as "extremely upset" that Patch obtained her email address.

"That's not allowed under any (Freedom of Information Act) laws, and it is wildly inappropriate," Giancola-Shanks said.

Nothing in the Freedom of Information Act bars the city from releasing documents with unredacted email addresses.

Patch found that Elmhurst, Western Springs, La Grange and Burr Ridge post emails including addresses in their online meeting agenda packages.

In response to Giancola-Shanks, Vana, the administrator, said emails to officials are public record. And the state's public records law doesn't require that addresses be blacked out, he said.

"The FOI Act does permit, but not require, that certain records can be exempt if they would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy," he said in an email. "For example, the city would redact certain information contained in emails, such as medical information, financial records, (driver's license) number, social security number, certain police department records, etc."

In his message, Vana said Giancola-Shanks asked whether Patch's reporter filled out a Freedom of Information Act form requesting her email to officials. He said she asserted that the Freedom of Information Act requires someone to fill out a form to receive copies of public documents.

Under the act, a government entity cannot require that a person file a request in a certain format or on a certain form. In Illinois, a request turned in to City Hall on a cocktail napkin would suffice.

A public body can also release a document without a Freedom of Information Act request. The state law is a minimum standard that entities must follow.

Giancola-Shanks did not respond to Patch's message for comment on Wednesday.