Overview of the Email
This email, dated November 8, 2023, captures a revealing internal exchange within the City of Superior. The message originates from Frog Prell, the City Attorney, and is directed to Jim Paine (D) and Rebecca Scherf, with Starr Bowers copied. The subject concerns a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and how the city should respond.
Key Content and Intent
Prell states plainly that handling FOIA requests has become “officially a full-time” responsibility. That admission alone signals a heavy volume of public records requests. It suggests heightened public scrutiny or internal activity drawing attention.
More striking is the strategy proposed. Prell drafts a response but advises against sending it immediately. Instead, he recommends waiting “a week or 10 days” to see whether the delay slows the pace of incoming requests. This suggestion introduces a deliberate pause, not for legal review or clarification, but as a tactic to influence requester behavior.
Implications and Concerns
Public records laws exist to ensure transparency and timely access to government activity. The suggestion to delay a response for strategic effect raises concerns about compliance with both the spirit and possibly the letter of those laws. The language implies a calculation: delay may discourage further inquiry.
Such thinking reflects a tension between administrative burden and public accountability. When officials frame transparency obligations as something to manage or deter, it invites scrutiny. The email does not discuss legal deadlines or exemptions. It focuses instead on pacing and control.
Broader Context
The City of Superior has faced ongoing public records requests, and this email hints at internal strain. Yet strain does not excuse delay. The public’s right to know depends on timely disclosure.
No follow-up action appears in this single message. However, the intent is clear. The city’s legal office considered slowing its response as a means to shape public engagement.
The record stands as a small but telling window into how local government can approach transparency—not as a duty, but as a problem to manage.
11.08.2023-EmailFrog Prell – https://www.superiorwi.gov/directory.aspx?EID=40
City of Superior – https://www.superiorwi.gov
Wisconsin Public Records Law Overview – https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/19/ii/31
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – https://dnr.wisconsin.gov
National Freedom of Information Coalition – https://www.nfoic.org
