Roger has issued a Indiana Public Access request to the Floyd County Health Department.

The Orwellian dissembling continues inside Dr. Harris' bubbly Inner Sanctum of Over-Reach.

More citations given over temporary food permits in Floyd County; Health department to hear NABC appeal, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune)

... Baylor’s complaint is specific to requiring the permit for alcohol vendors, not groups selling food during festivals or one day events.

Harris maintains that the health department has the authority to require the permit for food and alcohol vendors, and that it has done so in the past.

“We actually go down on the first day of Harvest Homecoming and go through the food booths to make sure they’re compliant,” he said.

Anyone else catch that? I use the word "beer," and Dr. Harris answers with the word "food."

The other interesting part comes here:

As for the appeal, Harris said they would hear Baylor’s case during the next health department board meeting.

It's uplifting to learn via the newspaper that we get a trial date. The Health Department's record of communication is poor even by Pyongyang standards. All those time when Dan Coffey lamented the absence of information? Now we can see that he wasn't looking the right place, because the department has all of it, albeit not always preserved in a sterile condition suitable for sharing.

Unsurprisingly, I've yet to be informed as to the date and time of the hearing -- assuming, of course, that due process is a genuine consideration for a chieftain who already has used the newspaper to dismiss the likelihood of the appeal getting  fair hearing, and that I'm invited to participate in the ritual.

Me? I'm all about transparency.

That's why the Health Department's food/beer temporary permit citation history needs to be examined for rampant doublespeak, and so yesterday I hand delivered the following letter to the Health Department. Notice how I identified the actual statute, rather than refer to it in the abstract sense preferred by Dr. Harris. That's because it's our information isn't it?

Roger A. Baylor

1117 E. Spring Street

New Albany IN 47150

502-468-9710

June 21, 2013

Floyd County Health Department

Attn.: Dr. Tom Harris

1917 Bono Road

New Albany IN 47150

(Hand Delivered)                                                    

Re: Public Records Request

Dear Dr. Harris:

The Floyd County Health Department is a public agency as defined by Indiana Statute. Pursuant to Indiana Public Access statutes (Indiana Code 5-14-3), I am requesting copies of all citations and/or tickets issued by the Floyd County Department of Health to any vendor, person, company and/or individual regarding “Temporary Food Service Permit” for the last five (5) years. In addition, I am requesting that each citation and/or ticket be identified as to whether those cited were serving food or alcoholic beverages.

If there is a cost associated with this request, please inform me of the amount. I look forward to the response and compliance with this request. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Roger A. Baylor