Former Auxiliary Officer Sues Haymarket
Former auxiliary officer sues Haymarket
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By JACLYN PITTS
jpitts@potomacnews.com
Saturday, April 29, 2006
After nearly a year of trying times for Haymarket, the town is facing a new challenge -- a lawsuit.
Former town auxiliary police officer Charlie Proffitt filed a lawsuit Friday in Circuit Court against the town and Mayor Pam Stutz.
The lawsuit stems from a Freedom of Information Act request Proffitt submitted to the town via e-mail on April 12.
Proffitt wanted a copy of the lease between the town and the last tenant of the old post office building, also known as The Red Rooster.
He also requested a list of all lease payments and any other fees paid to the town from the same lessee, in addition to any correspondence between the town and lessee.
Proffitt did not receive any response from the town's attorney until April 21 via facsimile, according to the lawsuit.
The Act requires a response from the request's recipient within five work days.
.......
In an e-mail to Proffitt from Stutz dated April 27, Stutz notes that Proffitt's request was not filed by the town until April 13.
If that were the case, the town's response would have been within the five work day period.
However, Proffitt's original request was stamped April 12, a town clerk confirmed Friday.
.......
Proffitt said he doesn't think he'll get the information until after Election Day. He thinks that was done on purpose.
Proffitt said he initially wanted the information because he had heard Stutz, who owned The Red Rooster, had fallen behind on lease payments during her ownership and while serving as a council member.
He said he wanted to see if that rumor was true.
"If I got the information [that it was true], I would probably have let the other candidates know," he said. "I think if the mayor is going to accept money from the town as a paid council member and owe the town money, I don't think it's fiscally responsible."
Stutz could not be reached at her workplace or her home for comment Friday.
Although Proffitt is going to ...
Former auxiliary officer sues Haymarket
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Copy of Lawsuit filed against town by Citizen for violation of FOIA
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