Open government group requests probe into Coulee Dam records case

COULEE DAM - The Washington Coalition for Open Government called for local and state officials to investigate the alleged disappearance of former Coulee Dam Mayor Quincy Snow's city computer and all emails he sent and received while in office.

Snow, a 16-year incumbent, was defeated in November's election by Greg Wilder, who criticized Snow and the former councilmembers. Snow and Wilder were unavailable for comment by Thursday's deadline.

Wilder has told WCOG the computer previously used by Snow is missing from the town hall storage room where other electronic equipment was kept. Wilder noted no other equipment has turned up missing and a new computer was purchased before Snow left office. That computer has no application software installed and all its file folders are empty.

According to the WCOG, Snow allegedly accused Wilder of harassment after Wilder submitted a public records request. Wilder said the town now has no record of any of Snow's email correspondence as mayor or any other public records that were stored in the mayor's computer. All backups of the emails are also missing from the town's servers.

Wilder asked the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to investigate the alleged crime. In a letter to the sheriff's office, Wilder said he is certain the old computer would hold the public records he requested.

According to state law, it is "unlawful to remove, alter, destroy, conceal, or obliterate a record, map, book, paper, document or other thing filed or deposited in a public office." The crime is considered a class C felony.

A representative from the sheriff's office was unavailable for comment Thursday.

WCOG President Toby Nixon said the organization is "deeply concerned" about Wilder's report.

"At a minimum, the public deserves an explanation for the missing computer and records," Nixon said in a press release. "Even if the former mayor's computer had been property surpluses, which does not appear to be the case, the town was legally required to retain the hard drive. State law requires all communications like those to and from the mayor to be retained and transferred to the state archives for assessment and archival storage."

Nixon added public officials throughout the state must know transitions in office are not an opportunity to remove or destroy public records, noting the transition in Coulee Dam town government was abrupt.

According to Nixon, after Wilder won office and two of his supporters were elected to council, the town's clerk resigned.

"We and the Coulee Dam's citizens won't know what the facts are until an official investigation is completed," Nixon said. "But there should be no question that all public records are public property."

The WCOG is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for the people's right to access government information.