Covert Operations at PPH Delay Public Disclosure
The Palomar Pomerado Health district has delayed making complete copies of certain public documents. Based on a brief inspection of the documents, I am certain that PPH does not want these document made public in a prompt manner.
Let me explain. A few months ago, I was curious as to why the McLeod Tower at the Palomar Medical Center (PMC) was given a Structural Performance Category rating of SPC-1. An SPC-1 rating means a building poses a significant risk of collapse and danger to the public in the event of an earthquake. The McLeod Tower was completed in 1969, the same year that Americans landed and walked on the moon. Surely, by that date, engineers in California could design buildings that would not collapse in the event of an earthquake.
After studying the dynamics of building structures and earthquake engineering, I was ready to look more closely at the structure of the McLeod Tower. The next step was to obtain public documents from PPH that would help me on this task. I am still stuck on this step.
On September 28, an application was made to PPH to inspect and copy the following:
1. Compliance plan submitted to OSHPD for the Palomar Medical Center (PMC).
2. Request for Extension to Seismic Safety Deadlines submitted to OSHPD for PMC.
3. Seismic evaluation of the McLeod Tower at PMC.
4. Reports, documents, spreadsheets, calculations, analysis, and/or information used to determine a Structural Performance Category (SPC), for the McLeod Tower at PMC.
5. Reports, documents, spreadsheets, calculations, analysis, and/or information used to determine estimated cost of upgrading the McLeod Tower at PMC to a level above an SPC-1.
A copy of my application is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Request09-28-05.pdf
On October 7, 2005, PPH mailed a letter acknowledging the Public Records Act Request and noticing an extension through October 21, 2005, for responding to the request. A copy of the letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Response100705.pdf
On October 21, 2005, PPH mailed a letter stating that the requested documents were publicly disclosable and available for inspection at the PPH offices. This letter was received on October 24, 2005. A copy of the letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Response102105.pdf
On the morning of October 26, 2005, three documents were produced and inspected at the PPH offices. After a brief review, I confirmed that I wanted copies of the three documents. A logistical problem arose. Large portions of the documents were on sheets of 11" x 17" paper. Some pages contained color photographs and charts. I requested normal copies of the black and white 8.5" x 11" pages, and of the black and white 11" x 17" pages, and the opportunity to return in the afternoon to take photographs of the color pages using my digital camera. I was informed that PPH did not have the capability to make copies of the 11" x 17" pages, and that inquiry would need to be made before I could take photographs of the color pages. Normal copies were made of the black and white 8.5" x 11" pages as indicated by the invoice available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Invoice102605.pdf
That evening I received a faxed letter stating "It is doubtful if a digital camera may be used by you to take color copies from these reports as according to our policy reproduction may only be undertaken by the District, or an estimate obtained outside the District. However, a deposit of the amount of the estimate is required to be made with the District prior to copying." A copy of the fax letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-ResponseFax102605.pdf
Early in the afternoon of October 27, 2005, a check for the deposit amount was hand delivered to the PPH offices.
A telephone call to PPH on October 28, 2005, confirmed receipt of the deposit check. PPH would not commit to a delivery date, stating that the copying would take a few days.
Today, Tuesday, November 1, 2005, a telephone status inquiry was made to PPH. The copying WILL BE sent to an outside vendor because PPH does not have the capability to make the large sized and color copies. The copies should be available by Friday, maybe Thursday.
Delay. Delay. Delay! Less than one hour with my digital camera would have allowed prompt and timely disclosure of these documents.
The Covert Operations at PPH are a disservice to the public and are not aligned with the interests of good government. Having inspected the documents, I believe that the public will be very interested in the information contained in the documents. Further, I have a hard time believing that PPH does not have the capability, in house, to make copies of black and white 11" x 17" sheets of paper. I am surprised that PPH says that it cannot make color copies.
I would not be surprised if the documents were "lost" in transit to the copying vendor. If not lost, then intercepted and otherwise further delayed by the Covert Operations at PPH.
Let me explain. A few months ago, I was curious as to why the McLeod Tower at the Palomar Medical Center (PMC) was given a Structural Performance Category rating of SPC-1. An SPC-1 rating means a building poses a significant risk of collapse and danger to the public in the event of an earthquake. The McLeod Tower was completed in 1969, the same year that Americans landed and walked on the moon. Surely, by that date, engineers in California could design buildings that would not collapse in the event of an earthquake.
After studying the dynamics of building structures and earthquake engineering, I was ready to look more closely at the structure of the McLeod Tower. The next step was to obtain public documents from PPH that would help me on this task. I am still stuck on this step.
On September 28, an application was made to PPH to inspect and copy the following:
1. Compliance plan submitted to OSHPD for the Palomar Medical Center (PMC).
2. Request for Extension to Seismic Safety Deadlines submitted to OSHPD for PMC.
3. Seismic evaluation of the McLeod Tower at PMC.
4. Reports, documents, spreadsheets, calculations, analysis, and/or information used to determine a Structural Performance Category (SPC), for the McLeod Tower at PMC.
5. Reports, documents, spreadsheets, calculations, analysis, and/or information used to determine estimated cost of upgrading the McLeod Tower at PMC to a level above an SPC-1.
A copy of my application is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Request09-28-05.pdf
On October 7, 2005, PPH mailed a letter acknowledging the Public Records Act Request and noticing an extension through October 21, 2005, for responding to the request. A copy of the letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Response100705.pdf
On October 21, 2005, PPH mailed a letter stating that the requested documents were publicly disclosable and available for inspection at the PPH offices. This letter was received on October 24, 2005. A copy of the letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Response102105.pdf
On the morning of October 26, 2005, three documents were produced and inspected at the PPH offices. After a brief review, I confirmed that I wanted copies of the three documents. A logistical problem arose. Large portions of the documents were on sheets of 11" x 17" paper. Some pages contained color photographs and charts. I requested normal copies of the black and white 8.5" x 11" pages, and of the black and white 11" x 17" pages, and the opportunity to return in the afternoon to take photographs of the color pages using my digital camera. I was informed that PPH did not have the capability to make copies of the 11" x 17" pages, and that inquiry would need to be made before I could take photographs of the color pages. Normal copies were made of the black and white 8.5" x 11" pages as indicated by the invoice available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-Invoice102605.pdf
That evening I received a faxed letter stating "It is doubtful if a digital camera may be used by you to take color copies from these reports as according to our policy reproduction may only be undertaken by the District, or an estimate obtained outside the District. However, a deposit of the amount of the estimate is required to be made with the District prior to copying." A copy of the fax letter is available at the following link:
http://civics.robroy.cc/PPH-ResponseFax102605.pdf
Early in the afternoon of October 27, 2005, a check for the deposit amount was hand delivered to the PPH offices.
A telephone call to PPH on October 28, 2005, confirmed receipt of the deposit check. PPH would not commit to a delivery date, stating that the copying would take a few days.
Today, Tuesday, November 1, 2005, a telephone status inquiry was made to PPH. The copying WILL BE sent to an outside vendor because PPH does not have the capability to make the large sized and color copies. The copies should be available by Friday, maybe Thursday.
Delay. Delay. Delay! Less than one hour with my digital camera would have allowed prompt and timely disclosure of these documents.
The Covert Operations at PPH are a disservice to the public and are not aligned with the interests of good government. Having inspected the documents, I believe that the public will be very interested in the information contained in the documents. Further, I have a hard time believing that PPH does not have the capability, in house, to make copies of black and white 11" x 17" sheets of paper. I am surprised that PPH says that it cannot make color copies.
I would not be surprised if the documents were "lost" in transit to the copying vendor. If not lost, then intercepted and otherwise further delayed by the Covert Operations at PPH.
posted by Robroy at 7:29 PM
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