Editor’s Note: Sunshine Request makes no claim as to the veracity of any statements or information contained in any of the requests, or public records, we receive. the info that should be requested.
Other (indicate in message) Submitted: October 5, 2023 | Updated: December 27, 2024
(October 2023) Request for Lincoln County, NC Government: Info related to termination of Animal Services Director. 01/01/23 – 10/02/23.
Good afternoon Brittany (or Lincoln County Records Officer / Custodian of these Records), all others CCed,
Please reply promptly to the following public records request, which is being made in accordance with NC Public Records Law. https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychapter/chapter_132.html
** I’m simply requesting an electronic copy of an electronic record, if one exists. I’m NOT asking for the opportunity to come in person to "inspect", nor to obtain a printed copy of, this electronic record. I’m requesting explicitly that any responsive info be provided to me via the electronic medium / electronic format (in which the copy of this record should already exist).
I do not have any further clarifying info I can provide to narrow this request. If the request is unclear, or if you are unable to fulfill any or all parts of this request, please specifically cite where a reason for denial is justified under NC Public Records Law.**
Regarding the termination of Hannah R. (Beaver) Houser who previously served as the Animal Services Director for Lincoln County, NC Government.
If such a record exists –
Please provide the following electronic records related to Ms. Houser's termination. During the specific time period of 01/01/2023 through 10/02/2023:
A. Any and all documents related to the decision to terminate Hannah R. Houser, including but not limited to memoranda, reports, emails, and meeting minutes.
B. Ms. Houser's termination letter, and any accompanying documentation outlining the reasons for her termination.
C. Records detailing the process followed in the termination of Ms. Houser, including any investigations, hearings, or disciplinary actions leading up to the termination.
——————
** Please note that by submitting this request, I’m NOT agreeing to pay any potential fees or associated costs related to my request. If it isn’t possible to process the request without incurring fees, then please let me know the itemized potential cost and explanations for those charges upfront, and DO NOT proceed until I respond.
By Law I’m not required to provide a name or address to associate with a public records request, but in order to move things along I’d like to clarify that this request is being made by:
Sunshine Request
PO Box 17391
Asheville, NC 28816
The request has been sent solely from the email address [email protected] . If anyone other than that email address contacts you to pursue a similar request, it did not come from me or my Team. Please do not commingle or treat that as an alteration or cancellation of my request – I intend to continue to pursue my request.
Thank you for your assistance!
Status: Completed
Documents:
Activity:
-
December 27, 2024 3:19 pm
2 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
date: Dec 27, 2024, 3:19 PM
subject: Re: Amendment to Previously Submitted Document – October 2023Hi Megan,
Thank you for your response.
In general we do not remove records from our site that have not been “improperly disclosed”, and that are actually a matter of public record (as it was part of a public document). This policy is reserved for improperly disclosed info (such as social security numbers, erroneous data sets, information we didn’t request, or other info that shouldn’t have been provided to us by a Disclosing Agency).
In this case, since the individual contacted you to ask for a redaction, and you determined that you’d provide them with one, and asked us for the same — we will honor that request. We removed the original document from our website, and replaced it with the redacted copy:
Please consider our public records request to be closed again with Lincoln County as of 12/27/24.
Thank you for your help.
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Status: Completed -
December 27, 2024 3:05 pm
2 months ago
from: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
date: Dec 27, 2024, 3:05 PM
subject: RE: Amendment to Previously Submitted Document – October 2023Thank you for your response. The individual’s information that was shown on that request (Hannah Houser) requested that the address be redacted, so that was honored and submitted to you. However, I am in agreeance that this was not necessary as the information is public record.
Megan H. Gilbert
COUNTY ATTORNEY | LINCOLN COUNTY
353 N. Generals Blvd.
P.O. Box 738
Lincolnton, NC 28092
Main: 704-736-8471
Direct: 704-666-6965
Please take note that my email address has recently changed to [email protected]
PRIVILEGE and CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission has been sent by an attorney. It may contain information that is confidential, privileged, proprietary, or otherwise requires protection under federal or state law. The information contained in this email message is intended only for the confidential use of the recipient(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message in error and that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, or disseminate this message, any part of it, or any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please delete this message and any attachments/copies from your system without reading the content and notify the sender immediately by email of the inadvertent transmission. There is no intent on the part of the sender to waive any privilege, including the attorney-client privilege that may attach to this communication.
Status: Clarification Provided -
December 27, 2024 3:01 pm
2 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
date: Dec 27, 2024, 3:01 PM
subject: Re: Amendment to Previously Submitted Document – October 2023Good afternoon Megan,
I removed the person you CCed from your email above. Sunshine Request is an anonymous, free community project built by our small 3-person team in Asheville, North Carolina to submit public records requests to government entities. We allow users to anonymously submit requests for our Team to fulfill, and we don’t require any personal info to be submitted in order to process requests. We cannot verify who submits a request to our site, or how / if any responsive records may be used (by anyone other than our team). We do not send the results of requests directly to
individuals, and we publish the results of all completed requests on our website. This also means that we do not communicate directly with individuals about the requests on our site. This info. comes from our FAQs page:
Who should I contact if I think there are results of requests that have been improperly disclosed or should be redacted?
The results of all Completed requests are published on our site, and have been provided to Sunshine Request directly by the disclosing government agency (government entity). Sunshine Request’s policy in situations involving an alleged improper disclosure is to refer you to the disclosing agency (government entity). If any party feels that an alleged improper disclosure has taken place, please contact the disclosing agency (government entity) directly. If the disclosing agency, after a review of your case, determines that confidential information was improperly disclosed, and notifies us of such disclosure, we will then be able to review your case.
The request you are referencing has been completed on our website since October 05, 2023. It is unclear whether you’re suggesting that you “improperly disclosed” confidential info that wasn’t a public record, and so recently redacted it — but I believe that it is a public record. However, we’ve removed the PDF document you provided previously, and have now replaced it with the redacted copy as of today.
Have a great weekend!
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Editor’s Note: Please see the 1 file referenced (“Fina Decision Letter_Redacted.pdf“) at top left in our document section.
Status: Clarification Provided -
December 24, 2024 1:14 pm
2 months ago
from: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
cc: [REDACTED]
date: Dec 24, 2024, 1:14 PM
subject: Amendment to Previously Submitted Document – October 2023Sunshine Request:
Please remove the original document provided to you, and replace it with the attached for the below linked request. The originally submitted document contains the address of Ms. Houser, and the attached has it redacted.
Thank you, and Happy Holidays!
Megan H. Gilbert
COUNTY ATTORNEY | LINCOLN COUNTY
353 N. Generals Blvd.
P.O. Box 738
Lincolnton, NC 28092
Main: 704-736-8471
Direct: 704-666-6965
Please take note that my email address has recently changed to [email protected]
PRIVILEGE and CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission has been sent by an attorney. It may contain information that is confidential, privileged, proprietary, or otherwise requires protection under federal or state law. The information contained in this email message is intended only for the confidential use of the recipient(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message in error and that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, or disseminate this message, any part of it, or any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please delete this message and any attachments/copies from your system without reading the content and notify the sender immediately by email of the inadvertent transmission. There is no intent on the part of the sender to waive any privilege, including the attorney-client privilege that may attach to this communication.
Disclaimer
Pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 132, Public Records, this electronic mail message and any attachments hereto, as well as any electronic mail message(s) sent in response to it, may be considered public record and as such subject to request and review by anyone at any time.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 5, 2023 5:41 pm
1 year ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
date: Oct 5, 2023, 5:41 PM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2023) Request for Lincoln County, NC Government: Info related to termination of Animal Services Director. 01/01/23 – 10/02/23.Hi Megan,
Thank you very much for your extremely prompt assistance with this request!
I reviewed the information provided, and I will now mark the request as “completed” on our website.
Have a great evening!
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Status: Completed -
October 5, 2023 5:33 pm
1 year ago
from: Megan Gilbert <[email protected]>
to: [email protected]
date: Oct 5, 2023, 5:33 PM
subject: RE: Public records request. (October 2023) Request for Lincoln County, NC Government: Info related to termination of Animal Services Director. 01/01/23 – 10/02/23.Good Evening.
In order to best respond to your request, please see my responses below:
Please provide the following electronic records related to Ms. Houser’s termination. During the specific time period of 01/01/2023 through 10/02/2023:
A. Any and all documents related to the decision to terminate Hannah R. Houser, including but not limited to memoranda, reports, emails, and meeting minutes.
This information and documentation requested is considered part of Ms. Houser’s personnel file and is confidential pursuant to N.C.G.S. §153A-98.
B. Ms. Houser’s termination letter, and any accompanying documentation outlining the reasons for her termination.
Pursuant to N.C.G.S. §153A-98(b)(11), Ms. Houser’s termination letter is public record and is attached hereto.
C. Records detailing the process followed in the termination of Ms. Houser, including any investigations, hearings, or disciplinary actions leading up to the termination.
The process followed in the termination of Ms. Houser was consistent with the Lincoln County Personnel Policy which is available online at the following link: https://www.lincolncountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19050/Lincoln-County-Personnel-Policy—Revised-3202023-
Thanks.
Megan H. Gilbert
County Attorney | Lincoln County
353 N. Generals Blvd.
P.O. Box 738
Lincolnton, NC 28092
Main: 704-736-8471
Direct: 704-666-6965
Please take notice that my direct line phone number has recently changed!
DISCLAIMER: Pursuant to North
Carolina General Statutes Chapter 132, Public Records,
this electronic mail messageand any attachments hereto, as well as any electronic mail
message(s) sent in responseto it, may be considered public record and as such subject
to request and review byanyone at any time. **Editor’s Note: Please see the 1 file referenced (“Final-Decision-Letter.pdf”) at top left in our Documents section.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 5, 2023 4:04 pm
1 year ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Brittany Abernathy <[email protected]>
cc: [email protected], “Candy S. Burgin” <[email protected]>, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
date: Oct 5, 2023, 4:04 PM
subject: Public records request. (October 2023) Request for Lincoln County, NC Government: Info related to termination of Animal Services Director. 01/01/23 – 10/02/23.Good afternoon Brittany (or Lincoln County Records Officer / Custodian of these Records), all others CCed,
Please reply promptly to the following public records request, which is being made in accordance with NC Public Records Law.
https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychapter/chapter_132.html** I’m simply requesting an electronic copy of an electronic record, if one exists. I’m NOT asking for the opportunity to come in person to “inspect”, nor to obtain a printed copy of, this electronic record. I’m requesting explicitly that any responsive info be provided to me via the electronic medium / electronic format (in which the copy of this record should already exist).
I do not have any further clarifying info I can provide to narrow this request. If the request is unclear, or if you are unable to fulfill any or all parts of this request, please specifically cite where a reason for denial is justified under NC Public Records Law.**
Regarding the termination of Hannah R. (Beaver) Houser who previously served as the Animal Services Director for Lincoln County, NC Government.
If such a record exists –
Please provide the following electronic records related to Ms. Houser’s termination. During the specific time period of 01/01/2023 through 10/02/2023:
A. Any and all documents related to the decision to terminate Hannah R. Houser, including but not limited to memoranda, reports, emails, and meeting minutes.
B. Ms. Houser’s termination letter, and any accompanying documentation outlining the reasons for her termination.
C. Records detailing the process followed in the termination of Ms. Houser, including any investigations, hearings, or disciplinary actions leading up to the termination.
——————** Please note that by submitting this request, I’m NOT agreeing to pay any potential fees or associated costs related to my request. If it isn’t possible to process the request without incurring fees, then please let me know the itemized potential cost and explanations for those charges upfront, and DO NOT proceed until I respond.
By Law I’m not required to provide a name or address to associate with a public records request, but in order to move things along I’d like to clarify that this request is being made by:
Sunshine Request
PO Box 17391
Asheville, NC 28816The request has been sent solely from the email address [email protected] . If anyone other than that email address contacts you to pursue a similar request, it did not come from me or my Team. Please do not commingle or treat that as an alteration or cancellation of my request – I intend to continue to pursue my request.
Thank you for your assistance!
** Sunshine Request (www.sunshinerequest.com) makes no claim as to the veracity of any statements or information contained in any of the requests, or public records, we receive.
Status: Sent to Government -
October 5, 2023 3:53 pm
1 year ago
Submitted to Sunshine Request
Status: Pending