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Pete Murdock

(File photo)

Council Member Pete Murdock will pay an estimated $400 for a Freedom of Information Act request for documents relating to a proposed Amtrak train stop after the rest of council chose not to waive the fees.

Murdock previously said City Manager Ralph Lange won't provide documents relating to the stop that he requested, forcing him to put in a FOIA request for the information.

"I'm upset with the city manager for not giving us information. He doesn't want to give it up, but it's our information," Murdock said.

Council can waive the FOIA fee if it's determined that the request is for the public good. Murdock contends government transparency is for the public good.

However, several other council members appear to feel Murdock should pay for the train stop information.

At council's April 5 meeting, Council Member Brian Robb put forth a resolution to waive the fees. Murdock recused himself from the vote because City Attorney John Barr said Murdock had a financial interest.

No other council members seconded Robb's motion, so it died without discussion. That means Murdock must pay for the FOIA.

Mayor Amanda Edmonds, Mayor Pro Tem Lois Richardson, Council Member Nicole Brown and Council Member Anne Brown didn't second the motion. Council Member Dan Vogt was absent.

No council member provided a reason for their stance during the meeting, and none replied to emails from The Ann Arbor News.

"I think they should be interested in the information, but they seem to be fine making decisions without information," Murdock said, adding council members should get a raise if they have to start paying for information

Murdock said he submitted the FOIA on March 3 and has yet to receive documents, which he said he was told includes at least 1,000 emails. But he did pay $189 to the county for their time, and he said he was told he would pay around the same amount for the city's time.

He charged the "secrecy" on the train stop proposal is part of a larger issue he has with information flow from the city manager.

"I don't think we've been kept up to date on several major things. The train being one and Water Street being another, other than 'Oh we're working on it,'" he previously said.

In regards to the train stop, Murdock said he's concerned about an MDOT letter that Lange received on Dec. 9 stating MDOT would consider an Ypsilanti Amtrak stop.

Murdock questioned why Lange held onto the letter for three months without informing the public.

Lange has also known for a year that MDOT wanted to close the train crossings at Park and Grove streets, Murdock said, but he never made that information public until last month. Now the city is rushing to push the road closures through the planning process, Murdock said.

Lange has declined to comment.