You might remember the name Rodney Forte if you follow the papers. The last time some of us thought of the executive director and high muckety-muck of Little Rock's grandly named Metropolitan Housing Alliance was when he was explaining his "accomplishments" to his superiors. That is, his superiors in local government. Mr. Forte doesn't seem to think he answers to mere taxpayers who only pay his more-than-adequate salary.
Last year, if memory and archives serve, Rodney Forte was avoiding the press like pink pork. Somebody had dared raise questions about why he'd hire a deputy director to help him push papers around the office when so many real workers had been laid off by his agency. When the press asked those pesky questions, Director Forte declined to comment, which gives a clue about how proud a "public servant" is about whatever actions he's taken. But if you didn't think he was doing a great job at the alliance, all you had to do was ask him.
Sure, his agency might have been undergoing layoffs and furloughs while he was adding to the front office, but just look at all he'd done. In a letter to the city manager explaining himself last fall, Rodney Forte noted that his outfit had received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award in 2014 by that august body, the Government Finance Officers Association.
Why, the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, of course! Which sounds like a big deal, budget presentations being what they are in government work. ("If you'll note the PowerPoint graphic here . . .") The award is so distinguished that lots of outfits apply for it. And win. Last year 1,445 different government agencies applied for the award--and 1,424 "won" it. That happens when you pay your entry fee on time. Which is also only government money.
Rodney Forte didn't want to answer questions about any of that, or almost anything else. So the paper, as a free press in a free country will do, filed Freedom of Information requests with his outfit. But instead of complying with the requests--and the law--Director Forte got way too cute.
Folks over on the news side of this paper wanted the alliance's work orders--and complaints--from 2012 through 2014. Instead, the alliance said it would cost the paper $16,378 for daring to want to share public information with the public, and sent over an estimate for the work. In short, pay up first, paper-people. The prosecuting attorney for Pulaski County, the long-serving and widely respected Larry Jegley, issued an arrest warrant for Rodney Forte the next day.
Last week, the trial for Mr. Forte concluded. For failing to comply with the FOI, he was convicted of a Class C misdemeanor, and sentenced to a $100 fine and $140 in court costs.
During the trial, Mr. Forte had testified, as he put it: "I've never been in any kind of trouble at all."
Turn's out there's a first time for everything.
"It is the responsibility of the head of the agency to ensure full compliance" with the FOI, said Judge Alice Lightle during sentencing. "Given the facts and the evidence and testimony, the state has sustained the charge and proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Any other result would defeat the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act and would undermine the accountability of an agency."
Yes, ma'am.
Gentle Reader and, most importantly, Concerned Taxpayer might want to know that Director Forte still hasn't complied with all of the paper's public records requests. Who's going to make him? The press? Mere taxpayers? City official types?
Maybe somebody should ask the bosses who can actually have an influence on him, that is, the city's Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Oh, for the record and in case any Concerned Taxpayer would like to know, they are: Kenyon Lowe, Valerie Brown, Carolyn Polite, Ted Dickey and Leta Anthony.
It's time for them to clean house. We hear The Top is a good place to start.
Editorial on 06/08/2015