Group’s bank data part of files’ release

LR leaves information unredacted; advisers tell nonprofit to freeze account

Little Rock included banking information for a private trade organization in a response to an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request, officials said Tuesday.

The Arkansas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America notified its members shortly before noon Tuesday that a membership roster and a 2016 financial report that included a bank statement showing copies of processed checks had been released.

In an email to members that was obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, chapter President Adena White said the nonprofit was advised to freeze its bank account and change the account number.

White said in an interview Tuesday that the organization’s board members receive monthly finance and membership reports. She said those organizational records were returned in the response to an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request because they were included in the emails of a city employee who is also a chapter board member. She said the information that was released included the organization’s bank account number and some of the checks it has written.

City spokesman Lamor Williams said in an email that the city does not believe the information should have been redacted.

Attorney Christoph Keller, who said by phone that he consulted with his law partner, John Tull, said the email itself was a public record, even though it dealt with a private organization’s business, because the person was using a city email address.

He said it was unclear whether the organization’s account number should have been redacted, though he added that he and Tull would have recommended the city redact the information. The attorneys serve as counsel for the Arkansas Press Association.

Keller cited an opinion from 2003 signed by former Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, which states that charge-card account numbers are exempt from disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, but Keller said he would have recommended that the city redact the banking information for “common sense” reasons.

“You obviously always want to be careful with bank account numbers,” Keller said.

The request, made by blogger and local government critic Russ Racop, asked for documents, communications and payments involving The Design Group, a marketing firm co-owned by Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s communications director.

Racop told the Democrat-Gazette that he was “kind of shocked” to receive the membership list and banking information and said the Arkansas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America was not the subject of his records request. He said Tuesday afternoon that he had not published the information to any of his blogs or social media accounts, but he didn’t rule out posting it as part of a story in the future to illustrate his belief that the city was irresponsible in releasing that information.