Public Records Request Fails to Unnerve Kors

PALM SPRINGS – Alfie Pettit’s campaign consultant, Randall “Randy” Economy, has filed a public records request on Pettit’s behalf seeking all cell phone records and text messages from City Councilmember Geoff Kors’ city-owned cell phone.

The public records request seeks the records from Kors’ phone for the years 2015 through June 18, 2019. This is the day Economy filed the request with City Clerk Anthony Mejia.

Economy also copied City Manager David H. Ready and City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger and asked that the request be shared with the entire City Council.

Members of the executive team at City Hall were put on blast that Pettit is on the hunt for anything questionable, a morsel of impropriety. The move is part of Pettit’s effort to unseat Mayor Pro Tem Kors for the lone seat in District 3. Pettit is examining Kors’ travel, expenditures, and more. Pettit is demanding transparency.

The public records request is pending.

Deputy City Clerk Monique M. Lomeli has notified Economy that she anticipates completion of the document review by Thursday, July 18.

The voluminous public records request has not slowed Kors’ pace or rattled him.

“I would be happy to go over the documents with you and answer any questions you may have on the documents or any other issue,” Kors told Uken Report. “As you know, I am always available.”

Kors also made it clear he plans to take the high road as the campaign season moves forward.

“I am running based on my experience, accomplishments, and vision to continue moving Palm Springs forward and will continue to run a positive campaign,” Kors told Uken Report.  “That is what our residents want and deserve.”

Kors, elected to serve a four-year term on the City Council in November 2015, is poised to become mayor in December when the City Council begins to rotate the position among City Councilmembers.

The election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voters will elect councilmembers from District 1, 2, and 3.

Uken Report asked Pettit if he is looking for something specific — or if anything in particular prompted the public records request.

Pettit replied with a 300 word-plus statement that reads in part, “Without accountability and transparency, democracy is impossible to conduct.”

Pettit alleges in his statement that, “Voters have been manipulated here in Palm Springs by my opponent, especially with the elimination of how we elect our mayor, how we elect our City Councilmembers, and how our elections are even conducted here from this day forward.”

We cannot sit back and think that politicians and millionaire city administrations and attorneys have the best interest of the average resident, Pettit said.

“The only way we can determine what really goes on at Palm Springs City Hall is to demand documentation and detailed information (including emails, credit card receipts, appointment calendars, text messages, and other vitally (sic) information) to determine how the people’s business is really conducted.”

You may read Pettit’s entire statement by clicking here.

Kors declined to comment on Pettit’s statement, saying, “There is nothing in the statement to respond to.”