Palo Alto Keeps Investigative Report Hush-Hush, Literally

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The City of Palo Alto hired an investigator this summer to analyze three harassment complaints against a high-ranking official but told the investigator to make an oral report instead of putting his findings on paper. The vice mayor and others complain it’s an effort to skirt the public records law. The city manager said there is no formal policy and that previous investigation reports have been both written and oral. (10/22/07)