Burr Ridge Keeps Local Feedback Secret

BURR RIDGE, IL – Darien posted online the comments in its survey of residents a couple of years ago. But Burr Ridge refuses to release them in any form.

The village has shown it is serious about keeping the feedback secret. It fired an employee who posted the comments to its website last year. And it recently declined Patch's public records request for them.

In its denial letter to Patch, the village said it promised residents that it would keep their responses "confidential."

Releasing them, the village said, would amount to an "unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." That's an exception under the state's Freedom of Information Act.

In an interview with Patch on Thursday, John Kraft of the downstate Edgar County Watchdogs said it doesn't matter what the village promised to survey respondents. The Freedom of Information Act, he said, requires the release of such comments and overrides any pledges to the contrary.

He said the village can legally black out the names of survey respondents and any personal references to private citizens and businesses.

On Friday, Patch asked the village to reconsider its decision. It has not heard back.

Besides Darien, Naperville, Western Springs and Willowbrook have also posted survey comments to their websites.

In November, officials spoke about the survey results at a Village Board meeting. The survey indicated that 99 percent of respondents rated their community positively, while 98 percent had an overall feeling of safety.

Additionally, 95 percent of respondents have strong confidence in village government, the survey showed.

Even the lowest percentages of satisfaction were still high – 92 percent for stormwater maintenance and 90 percent for pathway maintenance.

Patch obtained information about the fired employee through a public records request.

In December, Village Administrator Evan Walter sent a termination letter to the employee who published the 280 comments on the village website. He accused the employee of poor judgment.

Walter referred to a notice of reprimand against the employee a year earlier. In that case, Walter alleged the employee disclosed "confidential" survey and personnel information to third parties.

He also said the employee contacted a member of the finance department to inquire about the salary of an employee with whom she was romantically involved.

"To be clear, the Village is in no way disciplining you solely for engaging in a romantic relationship or living with a fellow employee; this discipline is related to the inquiry of salary information not your own but of a household member's," Walter said.