Stonewalling at KRS, what are they hiding?

I just got a call from Jennifer Jones, a member the Kentucky Retirement Systems Legal Staff, regarding my request for a list of who was attending the conference in Florida.

Ms. Jones did the standard Open Records request shuffle, “Send it to us in writing” and we’ll get back to you.

Here is their policy on confidentiality from their web site:

Section 3: Standards of Conduct Regarding Confidentiality

1. Individuals associated with KRS may be granted access to confidential information in the course of an employment, Board or contractual relationship with KRS.

2. This information may include, but is not limited to, individual member information, including but not limited to, Social Security numbers, names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, beneficiaries, health insurance information, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), as well as documents, records, programs, files, scientific or technical information, or other information made available to individuals for purposes of completing their obligations to KRS.

I told Ms. Jones that I was somewhat mystified why the list of names of Trustees attending a conference needed an open records request. The answer was basically we have to have a written open records request of everything.

I told Ms. Jones I was blogging about KRS and the conference, she said, “I’ll tell Mike.” I assume that is Executive Director Mike Burnside. But she didn’t say whether she would have to walk down the hall to tell him or call him in Florida.

Oh, and in reading the policy I guess this does fall under the “but not limited to” category: