Ah, yes, the City of Berkeley. You might have thought back room dealing and hiding documents and meetings from public review was just a San Francisco thing, but Berkeley has its share of underhanded dealings, too.

Apparently, in a legal settlement over expansion of the UC campus by over 2 million square between the city of Berkeley and the school, an agreement was signed that tried to prevent both sides from discussing the deal in public -- in fact, according to the Daily Planet, the deal would be called off if confidentiality was breached -- meaning neighborhood activists didn't get a chance to review the deal before the City Council voted on it. Our favorite bit?

Trying to get a copy of the agreement even after the settlement has been difficult. When Stephan C. Volker, an attorney for residents contemplating a lawsuit against the city over the settlement, requested a copy, he received a letter from [Berkeley City Attorney Manuela] Albuquerque telling him that the agreement was "not retained once the final settlement was concluded." The Daily Planet CPRA request was made before the settlement, however.

Albuquerque said a deputy city attorney later managed to find a copy that had been attached to a cover memo.

It's good to know in this age of high-tech that city agencies are busy destroying printed legal documents and not keeping electronic records of them around -- or at least coming up with incredibly stupid excuses to explain themselves to the press. Mayor Tom Bates submitted and then withdrew proposed legislation requiring public review of major land use deals before a vote by the Council.

Photo of Berkeley City Hall by Susan Druding via the Free Speech Movement website.