On Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 3:06 PM Portland Public Records Request Center <portlandor@mycusthelp.net> wrote:
RE: City Public Records Request of March 11, 2021 Reference #C169977-031121
Dear Libi,
The City received a Public Records Request from you on March 11, 2021 for the following:
"CARES Act Funding: Bank Statements showing City's receipt of CARES Act Funding. Detailed General Ledger showing CARES Act Funding Expenditures. All Contracts, Invoices, and Check Warrants regarding the use of CARES Act Funding."
You have requested a tremendous amount of information. I appreciate that you've identified the specific documents you're seeking, but obtaining these records represents hundreds of hours of work. The City possesses invoices for hundreds, if not thousands, of items that could range from small orders of face masks and cleaning supplies for small work sites to 29,000 cash cards. Contrary to what you wrote in response to the City's fee waiver questions, even if information is electronic - it still needs to be located, separated from other City records, saved in an appropriate file and downloaded into GovQA.
I've heard back from the two (2) City staff who manage CARES Act finances on behalf of the City of Portland. They have informed me that it would take them approximately three months to compile the information you're seeking - and they do not have the capacity to perform this work. In order to provide you these requested records, we would need to hire a temporary employee for 90 days to sift through the large large volumes of information to get the data that you are seeking. We cannot grant you a fee waiver for this work, as the Office of Management of Finance doesn't have the resources to cover this cost.
I have uploaded what information we do have available. Those files are available in GovQA.
The Oregonian also recently published an article and outlined how CARES Act money was allocated, and I think you might find this helpful.
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/03/portland-to-receive-217-million-infusion-from-latest-federal-stimulus-bill.html?
Knowing that we are unable to grant a fee waiver to obtain the hundreds or thousands of records you are seeking, are you interested in obtaining a cost estimate? I would need to get a figure for a temporary employee from our Bureau of Human Resources and confirm the appropriate classification for this work. But I'd like to hear from you first whether you want me to proceed.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
HEATHER HAFER
Senior Management Analyst
5038236965
My Response March 30, 2021:
I'm an Accountant. I'm aware of how many 'hours' it takes to open and forward files electronically.
I don't accept reports because if a report is available, but the information needed to prepare the report is unavailable, it means the report is false or you would simply send me the information used to prepare the report and delight in the time it will take me to read the raw information.
It should take less than 30 minutes to submit the General Ledger and Bank Statements from March 2020 through February 2021. I don't see the Check Warrants on the Agendas, so I'll also need the Check Warrants from March 2020 through February 2021, which should take less than 30 minutes to forward.
They are all accounting documents, so there's no personal information to redact. The General Ledger, Bank Statements, and Check Warrants from March 2020 through February 2021, if actually maintained, should take less than an hour to forward.
AND the Public Records Request was submitted two weeks ago on March 11th. The City's inability to submit their questions or concerns regarding the Public Records' Request in a timely manner only underscores a dysfunctional bureaucracy. Proclaiming that it will take three months and a new hire to submit documents for lump-sum Federal Funding that was just created a year ago suggests that the Invoices and Receipts were never entered into the computer. If all the "two staff members" have done with the Invoices and Receipts is to throw them in boxes, then send me the boxes and I'll create the General Ledger for the City.
I expect to receive the Bank Statements and Check Warrants immediately as the Public Records' Request is overdue. If the General Ledger has been maintained, then the City will also immediately forward those documents as well.
55° and Overcast
