From the National Freedom of Information Coalition(7/25/12): In an important case supported by the Knight FOI Fund, a grassroots public-interest organization has won a settlement agreement with the northern California city of Auburn over retention and disclosure policies regarding government emails.
The settlement agreement with the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) of California, approved by the Auburn city council this week, requires that government officials save emails for at least two years, replacing a policy and practice of deleting most emails after 30 days. The agreement also assures public access to emails about government business even when they are sent or received on personal computers or through personal email accounts.
FAC, a state member organization of the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC), filed the lawsuit on June 1 along with co-plaintiff Victoria Connolly, an Auburn resident. NFOIC approved a $1610 grant award under the Knight FOI Fund to support the action.
NFOIC, a non-partisan network of state and regional open government groups and advocates, administers the half-million dollar perpetual litigation fund as part of a three-year, $2 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.