Site of Sultan City hall, 1905

BECOME A SQUEAKY WHEEL: GET INVOLVED

How to place a Public Information Request (PIR) and make a difference

(Last updated August, 2006)

For all who are weary of government's non-accountability, unfulfilled promises and misuse of taxpayer dollars, we would like to help you learn how to assist in keeping our government officials ethical and accountable.

Listed here are some things you can do to achieve that end. (Link to state law re PUBLIC RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS, beginning at 42.56.
Other important links related to OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS, and PUBLIC OFFICIALS & AGENCIES can be located here.

TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP

If you don't know what "UGA" means, you may wish to begin by reading our glossary, and then return here.

We have tried our best to translate complicated information into layman's terms. But take heart! Gaining a beginner's knowledge of those terms is not as daunting as it may seem at first. Just take it one step at a time, and soon you'll be putting one piece of information together with another and and another, and before long you'll have the Big Picture, and will be able to speak fluent "governmenteze" along with the "best" of the bureaucrats!

MAKING PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS IS YOUR RIGHT. Your DUTY is to vote and participate in the public process.

The WASHINGTON STATE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT was passed in 1971, and contained the following words from the citizen Initative creating it:

"The People, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the People to know and what is not good for them to know. The People insist on remaining informed so they may maintain control over the instruments they created."

While perhaps not as dramatic as some of the following examples, the above words rank right up there along with my other favorite world-changing words -- "Give me liberty or give me death," "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary to dissolve...," "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union...," and "Four score and seven years ago...." Sadly, the human and government conditions leading to those momentous American words are almost as fresh today as when they were spoken/executed in March 1775, July 1776, December 1791 and November 1863, respectively.

The intent of the Public Disclosure Act was to provide a tool by which we an make government accountable. The particulars of the Act itself and the process outlined for obtaining information is simple. Getting information from Sultan's city hall is often not so easy. It's not on Government's Top 10 List of Things They Want To Do. We have included a primer for you here.

Our "Layman's Primer" on how to make a request from the City of Sultan.

A SULTAN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FORM

Print out a "City of Sultan Public Records Form No. 1" request form. (Click here to print out a form in Acrobat) ( or download a in Word), or you can pick up a form at city hall.

WILL THE CITY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH MY REQUEST?

Yes. By law, they must fulfill your request within five days' time, or supply you either with an explanation of why fulfillment will be delayed and an estimation of time for completion, or advise you in writing why your request cannot be fulfilled.

As an example of what can happen should the city stonewall or drag their feet on complying with a request, here's a legal action against the City of Sultan for not complying with the Public Information Act.

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Based on the information you have received from the City, if you believe improprieties that have occurred and you feel capable of addressing them directly with the City, please do so. And as quickly as possible. After all, that's what this website is all about: Making each and every one of us responsible taxpayers by keeping an eye on what our governments are doing.

A cautionary note here: Document each and every contact and/or conversation you have with City personnel or you may find yourself stuck inside one of the Rolling Stones' favorite songs ("I Can't Get No Satisfaction"). If you cannot itemize each and every contact name, and the date and time that you spoke with them, and a summary of the conversation you had with that contact, do the best you can. If, after attempting to resolve the issue without success, you feel you need help, e-mail us and we will try to assist or give guidance. But the idea here is for YOU do it yourself.

Remember: One of the reasons our country lacks government accountability is becuase we delegated (Read: abdicated) the responsibilty to others rather than keeping a watchful eye on our government.

A PRIMER FOR CITIZENS
on How to become involved and make a difference

A terrific"How to make a difference" manual from the City of Shoreline activities on how to become, and stay, involved (Please note that this was specifically written for the City of Shoreline and we have not had time "personalize" to Sultan's codes. However, much of the process and general information about the flow of a project is the same, and as a springboard from which to begin a learning process, it is invaluable.)

(Also in Word, or Acrobat)