To Build or Not to Build: A Proposal

For our journalism 220 assignment about understanding Pennsylvania open records and the New Right To Know Law, I decided to seek information about a community complex that was supposed to be built near my home in Milford, Pa. In order to find out more about the complex, I called my mom's best friend, Bernie, who regularly attends township meetings when the township is wanting to change building codes or build new things near her home--she lives across the highway from me. Bernie told me that the complex was supposed to be built on Rt. 209 and that for more information I should call the Westfall Township office and ask for Lisa Green.

On the morning of Oct. 24, I telephoned Lisa to find out more information and request information about the Right To Know Officer for the township. She informed me that she was the officer and that she would mail me the necessary forms for me to retrieve the minutes for the meeting. She informed me I could only get the minutes for the meeting where the concept plan was made because no proposal was ever made. That same day, Friday, I sent Lisa a letter requesting the aforementioned information.

The following Monday, Oct. 27, I received a letter from the township telling me that the required fees for the information and asking me to fill out a standard request form prepared by the township. I filled out the form and sent in the money.

I received the minutes from the Westfall Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Oct. 31. The information I learned about the complex was basically what I already knew, the concept plan was presented at the meeting and the complex was never built. One thing I did learn was that there is a lot more to making a building project than just location. There are traffic study issues, preliminary design issues to deal with including the location of water and sewage, and of course, community response issues.

I feel like this experience was a good one as it showed me the necessary routes that one must take in order to go about getting public information. I really did not have a difficult time retrieving the information because the Right To Know Officer that I spoke with was very nice and willing to help. I think I would definitely be able to confidently make another open records request in the future.