Blanchette calls for “investigation” into how The Valley Patriot obtained public information on his $5,000 Raise
The president of the Lawrence city council has called for an “investigation” into how the Valley Patriot obtained his EAF (Employee Action From). The form is part of the city’s personnel file on city employees and shows any change in the employees salary or pay at any given time. Because Blanchette is an elected official his EAF is a public document.
Blanchette’s EAF (SEE BELOW) show him accepting his $5,000 raise at a time when Lawrence city workers were getting laid off. The Valley Patriot published Blanchette’s EAF form on this website two weeks ago, after he publicly demanded to see the information on EAF forms of full-time city employees claiming back THEN that the forms were “public record.”
In several emails obtained by the Valley Patriot, Blanchette goes on a tirade threatening city officials, demanded to obtain a copy of the Planning Director’s EAF form, claiming that the form is a “public document”, while in other emails he argues that HIS EAF form, showing HIS $5,000 raise, is confidential information. The Valley Patriot will be submitting a freedom of information request to determine how much money the “investigation” costs the city and exactly what the investigation reveals.