Loveland, Colo. publishing emails of city council members

Any emails protected under Colorado law and those requested by citizens will remain private.

LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) — The city of Loveland is publishing the emails of city council members as part of an effort to make government more transparent.

Loveland, Fort Collins and Larimer County are now allowing the public to see what their elected officials are sending on their computer networks. Only their government email accounts are accessible.

“The city will always look for new ways to make our communication and our processes more transparent and accessible to the public,” City Manager Steve Adams said in a statement.

City Clerk Terry Andrews, who held a training session for councilors on how to use the new system, said members of the council wanted the new policies.

Previously, the public could make appointments to go through the emails that were available, Andrews said.

Emails marked confidential by councilors or other senders will not be viewable, the Loveland Reporter-Herald reported (http://tinyurl.com/hdc7q53 ).

Examples of emails that can be excluded under Colorado’s open records laws include real estate transactions, negotiations that involve attorney-client privilege and some personnel issues.

Residents who email their city representatives can mark their emails private in the subject line, but their email addresses will still show up.

People who ask for information that has been rejected will be notified of the reason and can appeal.

Council members were also told they shouldn’t use their private emails for public business, Assistant City Attorney Alicia Calderon said.

Information from: Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, http://www.reporterherald.com/