Published: March 22, 2008 12:51 am            

JEFFERSONVILLE: Waiz, Wilder in dispute over request for documents

Indiana’s public access counselor has issued an opinion on a complaint made by former Jeffersonville Mayor Rob Waiz against Clerk-Treasurer Peggy Wilder.

In the complaint, Waiz claims that he never received a response to a request for public documents made to the clerk-treasurer’s office — something that Peggy Wilder disputes.

In the opinion issued earlier this month, Public Access Counselor Heather Willis Neal ruled that if no response was made, the law was violated.

The complaint was based on a request Waiz made for Peggy Wilder’s performance bond. He said he made numerous requests for the information and never heard back from the Clerk-Treasurer’s office. He provided paperwork dating back to November of last year — when he was still mayor — asking for the documents.

He said after not hearing back on his latest request, sent in January, he filed the complaint.

Asked about it, Peggy Wilder said that she did respond by sending a letter acknowledging that the request had been made. The letter was not sent through certified mail and Waiz said he never received anything.

Peggy did not respond to the Public Access Counselor’s office when asked to comment on the complaint.

She admits that she still hasn’t provided the records for the former mayor, saying that she’s been swamped with work and personal matters.

“I take full responsibility for not getting those out yet,” she said.

Waiz explained that he was asking for the performance bond because he believes she did not have one and is required by Indiana law to do so. Bonds act as something of an insurance policy for city officials.

Larry Wilder, one of the city’s attorneys, said because the city has a blanket bond that covers all boards and officials, the Clerk-Treasurer does not need to have an individual bond. Peggy Wilder and Larry Wilder are married but separated.

Waiz disagrees with Larry Wilder’s assertion that the city’s bond covers the Clerk-Treasurer. Both cite state statute in making their respective claims.

Peggy Wilder and Waiz have had a history of disagreement, often clashing when he was in office. The two have sparred over issues ranging from office space to sewer-billing software to city insurance to employees.

“It’s an ongoing personal vendetta that he’s had against me for months,” Peggy Wilder said. Waiz disputes that, noting “she didn’t even respond to the public access counselor.”

        

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