What is an appropriate question?

When I was a young cub reporter working for Big Jim Sherman, Sr., smack dab outta’ college, fresh with youthful idealism, a journalism and marketing degree, a pocketful of pens and a reporter’s note pad I had a number of ‘beats.? (For those not in the know, a beat is not something you do to your kid brother, nor is it some burgundy colored, dirt tasting root. A ‘beat? in the newspaper world is an assignment.)

My beats were to cover Oxford Village, Oxford Township, Oxford Police, Oxford Sports, write features, obituaries, announcements and anything else that needed writing.

I learned a lot and quickly!

First, I learned police types are suspicious. They will give you info and tell you, ‘this is not for publication.? If you publish, well, they know not to trust you. I passed their test, but went on to tell them with my youthful zeal, we all want what is ‘right? and I would always ask questions and write (or report) the answers for our readers ? the community.

I remember one time I wrote a story ? and we placed it on the front page ? about a township trustee voting in favor of a raise for the clerk, his wife (for the record, I like both people, then and now). I wrote the story and we headlined it something like, ‘Trustee votes for wife’s raise.? And, all hell broke loose!
The township supervisor and the trustee barged into to the office the following morning demanding a discipline of yours truly. Hmm? Or it may have been an irate phone call, I don’t recall, it was almost 30 years ago. Whatever the method and means of communications, they must have ruffled the feathers of Big Jim.

He asked if the story was correct. Yes.
He asked if the headline was true. Yes.

They were not satisfied and continued to squawk. It was only when Big Jim told them if they continued on the course they were heading, that he would FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) all township records on a particular matter.

They stopped their complaining and I went on to write another three decades for the same company I write for today. I write all that to come to this: What are newspaper reporters, editors, publishers (newspapers) sposed to do? What is their job? I think, very simply, it is to ask questions and report the answers.

Last week in Clarkston, the reporter types noticed invoices from city attorney Thomas Ryan. Most were quite descriptive like, ‘Review correspondence from Neil Wallace re: Hold Harmless Agreement 148 N. Main.? Which were cool.

But, we noticed others like this, ‘Phone call from Mayor Luginski re: miscellaneous city matters,? ‘Phone call from Jennifer Miller re: miscellaneous city matters,? ‘Phone call to City Clerk re: miscellaneous city matters,? ‘Phone call to City Manger re: miscellaneous city matters.?

A good reporter will think, ‘what are miscellaneous city matters and why are these invoices not spelled out like the others? What is the government hiding?? The editor asked the city manager in person, what miscellaneous city matters were.

She answered glibly, ‘I don’t know.? ‘I have no idea.?

She also prepared a written response. I will let you read it, as she wrote it herself and put it in the City of the Village of Clarkston’s council packet for Monday’s city council meeting.

‘In Phil Custodio’s (Clarkston News editor) column this week he took umbrage with the fact that I said I couldn’t remember what I talked to the City Attorney about. I also stated, ‘who knows.’ This was my way of handling an inappropriate question about my privileged conversations with the City attorney. Apparently, Mr. Custodio feels he has the right to ask me to breach my responsibility to handle city business with the attorney. He was asking me to behave in an unethical manner. I want to assure council that I have NEVER talked to ANYONE regarding my conversations with the attorney. Mr. Custodio’s question was totally inappropriate. Perhaps the way I answered his question was inappropriate, however, I was so astounded he was baiting me to breach my right to have a private conversation with the attorney I did not give the most appropriate answer . . . blah, blah, blah (the blah’s are mine.)?

So, I called the Michigan Press Association’s legal counsel, emailed the above city manager’s ‘report? and asked, ‘Is it appropriate to ask what the city is getting billed for??

The answer, was a without a doubt or hesitation, ‘Yes.?

The newspaper was not asking for the city manager to reveal ‘privileged? information. The city attorney regularly details invoices for the lawsuits the city is involved with, negotiations and other things. What is so sacred with Miscellaneous City Matters that the public does not have the right to know?

This is a pattern with this city administration. The only way this newspaper gets questions answered is if we FOIA them. So, as long as the duly appointed city spokesperson feels the need to answer questions with glibness or nothingness, I guess the newspaper will start the process and start FOIA’ing everything and reporting on the outcome.

What a shame. I have covered schools, townships, villages, all sorts of government types, and it has only been the City of the Village of Clarkston, these days, that doesn’t want to play fair.

Which begs the question: What are they trying to hide?