Councilwoman reports she was harrassed after FOIA request

CENTRAL CITY, Ark.—A councilwoman in northwestern Arkansas says she was harassed after filing a Freedom of Information Act request with the city’s Water Department.

Tonya Fagan, councilwoman for Central City, filed the request in February, the Southwest Times Record reported. Fagan said she wanted a copy of all checks made last year to Central City Mayor Chuck Wallace and his sons, Terry and Dwayne Wallace. The mayor is also the city’s water superintendent.

“I wanted to know what … the city has paid these three family members from that department, which is the water department,” Fagan said.

Chuck Wallace said Fagan had the right to the requested information, but his concern was whether Fagan received their Social Security numbers. It’s unclear whether numbers had been redacted from the information Fagan was provided.

“The question was, you know, what was sent to her, and what was handed over to Terry, it wasn’t boarded out,” Chuck Wallace said. “My Social Security number, and Dwayne’s Social Security number hadn’t been boarded out or his either, I mean, what was given to him. … The chief’s looking into all that.”

Fagan said she reported harassment to multiple departments after Central City Police Chief Dale Teague visited her at her residence. She alleged Teague came to her home to get a copy of the documents she was given.