This letter is to make comment on Judge Haynes’ opinions with respect to public information. It was convenient that Labor Day got in the way of actually doing something about nearly $50,000 in public expenditure done wrong by the Ravalli County Commission in an effort to protect a County Attorney who couldn’t say “you’re fired”.
Strange, isn’t it, that a District Judge would find in favor of the establishment? Haynes was a city attorney for a city the he claims is “Historically incorporated” (more below). What is most interesting is a Judge protecting public officials who deserve no protection of their privacy. An issue of public concern, like giving $250,000 to a public employee like Geoff Mahar, outweighs personal privacy interests in Montana.
I went in front of Judge Haynes and argued for release of public documents, again Judge Haynes protected county employees as they conducted public business. The problem arises as Judge Haynes raises his right hand and swears to uphold the public’s right to know—a state constitutional right, and fails.
We pay for public servants, including the Ravalli County Commission, and Judge Haynes. Our right is transparency, not some tangled mess full of excuses why our dollars, and our documents, are concealed from us. While I respect Judge Haynes for his careful analysis, it is more than clear that he supports the local governments, as do the State Supreme Court, almost like a bad habit.
Support for historical documentation falls short of Montana law. Admissions from the sitting “Mayor” of no public documents coupled with anxiety from city, county clerks as to lawful existence, is alarming. The story does not add up Judge Haynes. A county needs a legitimate county seat, Hamilton has no legitimacy; only a newspaper claiming an election took place in 1894, but the State says Ravalli County started in 1893. Marcus Daly says it all started in 1895. It’s all public record, and the actions of our public employees outweigh any claim to privacy. It’s what they are hiding:
The commission spent our money without public notice, a Judge tried to protect them.
Michael Spreadbury
Hamilton