AP News, January 23rd, 2008
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, working to mute criticism of the state's failure to save its employees' e-mails, has authorized spending $2 million to plan and run an e-mail archive.
The request came after a former staff attorney alleged he had been fired from Blunt's office for questioning its e-mail deletion practices.
Blunt approved the use of reserve funds for the e-mail retention plan Jan. 15, according to public documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Chief information officer Dan Ross reported to the governor that it will cost more than $1.6 million to set up the e-mail retention system and $486,652 annually to run it.
"The governor's reserve exists for unexpected or emergency expenditures and fiscal responsibilities," Blunt spokeswoman Jessica Robinson said. "An e-mail retention system is essential for transparent and accountable government."
The state computer system, which handles about 1.5 million e-mails a day, includes executive branch agencies, except for the departments of Transportation, Conservation and Natural Resources and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which operate their own e-mail systems.
Separate systems handle e-mail for the judiciary, Legislature and other statewide elected officials.
Ross recommended the state contract with Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec Corp., whose archiving product was rated the best among four Missouri officials tested.
State employees' e-mails are considered public records just like paper documents. Former Blunt attorney Scott Eckersley sued the governor and some of his staff this month, alleging he was defamed and fired in retaliation for telling the governor's office it was violating the Sunshine Law by deleting e-mails. Blunt has defended the firing of Eckersley as performance-related.
When Blunt announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection, the e-mail controversy was seen as a mark on his administration.
