Monroe County Perry Township trustee Dan Combs filed a lawsuit against the City of Bloomington and mayor John Hamilton over a request for records last week.
According to the complaint, Combs asked for information about Bloomington’s policies dealing with homelessness and use of police force to remove encampments in Seminary Square over the winter.
“Somewhere they had meetings," Combs said. "Somebody came up with that policy and we kept saying, 'Well what triggered the enforcement?'”
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Seminary Square is located in Perry Township, and the complaint filed said Combs is responsible for helping respond to the homelessness crisis.
He added the city put signs up by homeless encampments with his township’s contact information, but never consulted with him first on what the best course of action would be in handling the encampments or what aid he could offer people living there.
Combs first asked for records related to the city’s actions in Seminary Square in mid-May, according to the complaint. That request was made through a phone call between Perry township’s lawyer and the city’s corporate counsel, but no records were given.
Read: City Of Bloomington To Clear Homeless Encampment Under B-Line Bridge
Early in June, the trustee submitted a formal request for records through the township lawyer.
The city attorney responded June 30. But the complaint said the city didn’t provide information that shed light on how the city responded to events in Seminary Square.
The complaint said the response lacked information including: how homeless got notice of violations and what actions from people experiencing homelessness triggered police enforcement.
According to the complaint, the city said it doesn’t need to provide that information because it falls under an “advisory or deliberative materials,” exception to Indiana law.
The complaint said the city’s response doesn’t offer the trustees or the public any guidance to understand the city’s actions and shows disregard for co-equal branches of government.
“The idea that the city clams up on information to other governmental units on an issue like this is just staggering,” he said.
In September, Combs submitted other information requests to the city about Seminary Square and the removal of an encampment under Grimes Street bridge in August.
The complaint filed by Combs last week said the city’s response to his requests called them a “fishing expedition.”
The complaint said Combs is asking the Monroe County Superior Court to order the city to provide “full and complete records,” that were requested by Combs.
The City of Bloomington declined a request for interview.
Complaint Versus City 101421a.pd by Indiana Public Media News on Scribd
