Neumeister receives Finnegan Award

It has been 25 years since I first met Rich Neumeister.  We are not bosom buddies, barely acquaintances actually, but over the last quarter century I have read about him and watched him constantly reminding various public officials, elected and otherwise of data privacy regulations, where they apply and where they ought to apply.

 

I am sure that there are a lot of politicians and quite a few more bureaucrats who shudder whenever the see the profile of a tall skinny man [especially if they can glimpse part of a handlebar mustache] approaching in corridors of government for fear that the profile will be revealed to be that of Mr. Neumeister.

 

Thanks to the DPP’s City Hall Scoop,  we learn that all of his work has earned him the John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information  Award which will be awarded on March 16^th.

 

I don’t know much about the history of the award or who other winners may have been, but it seems to be a well deserved honor for Rich Neumeister.  The City Hall Scoop article notes that he had to beat out all of the reporters for Minnesota radio, television, and newspapers to receive the honor.

 

Capitol City Musings wishes to note its congratulations also.  They seem especially apt when one notes the story yesterday in which it is noted that Mayor Coleman the Second in his capacity as a vice-president of the Minnesota League of Cities has been supporting a bill introduced by Senator Mee Moua which would allow cities to keep preliminary budget proposals and drafts private until a mayor actually submits them to a city council.

 

And yesterday’s article notes ironically concerns raised by Rich Neumeister as well as comments from Don Gemberling who served for a long time as the state’s director of information policy.