Development authority refuses to release documents to business newspaper

A Mississippi development authority is refusing to release proposals it received for a convention center hotel by a June 30 deadline after the Mississippi Business Journal submitted a freedom of information request.

Ted Carter of the newspaper writes, “The Mississippi Business Journal has submitted an open records request for the newest round of proposals. The JRA says it will not make any of them public until the developers making proposals can seek court orders to keep private portions of their proposals they deem proprietary.

“The business newspaper made its open records request on July 6. The JRA did not notify the developers until July 10 and in the notification gave the developers seven days to say whether they intend to seek a court order.

“JRA Chair Jennifer Johnson, an attorney, said in an email it is not clear whether an RFP response ‘is or is not’ subject to public disclosure ‘simply by virtue of its submission to a public body prior to any use by that public body.’

“Johnson, who pledged more transparency when she took over as chair of the JRA in August 2014, said  the JRA’s attorney worries that release of the proposals might have ‘chilling effects’ on JRA efforts to solicit redevelopment proposals ‘which are needed in order for JRA to accomplish its statutory purpose.'”

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