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Open records challenge

Nothing to hide, Aurora responds

April M. Washington

Published March 25, 2008 at 5:46 p.m.
Updated March 25, 2008 at 11:33 p.m.

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Ryan Frazier says unions are trying to discredit him.

Ryan Frazier says unions are trying to discredit him.

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An Aurora resident filed a lawsuit Tuesday charging City Councilman Ryan Frazier has ignored an open records request about the councilman's relationship with a firm awarded a multimillion- dollar city contract.

Foster Hines, of Aurora, filed the complaint with the District Court of Arapahoe County alleging that Frazier refused to respond to at least three requests made under the Colorado Opens Records Act.

Aurora City Attorney Charlie Richardson called the lawsuit "a political stunt." "He (Frazier) is not the official custodian of the records, and we've pointed that out to them," Richardson said. "Neither the councilman nor the city has anything to hide."

Richardson said his office sent Hines a letter and e-mail on March 21 asking him to be more specific. Hines didn't respond, city officials said.

Richardson said the city will file a motion to dismiss the complaint after Frazier returns from out of town on April 5.

The lawsuit comes a month after Hines and union groups began asking Frazier to explain $1,500 in campaign contributions he received from partners of Carollo Engineers the same day the council voted to award the firm a $9.6 million contract as part of a major water project.

Under state law, the city must respond to an open records request within three days. If Aurora objects to the request, it must state its legal reasons in a letter.

Frazier has suggested that unions are on a "fishing expedition" to try to discredit him as he and other conservatives are working to get a right-to-work initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Hines, in previous interviews, has denied such assertions.

washingtonam@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5086

Comments

  • March 31, 2008

    10:52 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    auroraguy28 writes:

    If the charging party believes that Mr. Frazier's ethics are questionable or that Carollo Engineering's ethics are questionable, the charging party has an ethical responsibility to file a claim with the Colorado State Board of Engineers.

    Filing such a claim would likely start a firestorm, but maybe professionals should remember that they have an ethical responsibility to their citizens to provide safe drinking water without bias from big corporations or pressure from interest groups.

    Also, why should these firms be allowed to donate to public officials in the capacity as "members of a firm" anyhow? Donations on the same day that the controversial Prairie Waters Project was awarded seems highly questionable in my opinion.