We welcome a Freedom of Information Commission hearing officer's sharply worded recommendation that the commission order the release of all documents concerning the disciplinary actions taken against Stonington Highway Department employee Ernie Santos.

Rather than following state law, wrote Norma Reiss, the town administration blocked The Day's access to the information, and so the public's, to accommodate the employee's wishes.

"It appears from the evidence provided that the respondent (town of Stonington) ceded exclusive power to Mr. Santos to make the disclosure decision," the hearing officer wrote.

That is the exact point this newspaper made in prior editorials. Mr. Santos did not want the information released so the town withheld it, disregarding the state law requiring access to public information. Outrageous. We fully expect the commission to adopt the recommendation at its Dec. 14 meeting.

In an apparent act of workplace violence, Mr. Santos last January allegedly threatened another

employee, at one point brandishing a knife. The town placed him briefly on administrative leave. The public's interest in knowing what happened, how it was handled and why is obvious.

According to the FOI Act, municipalities can withhold: "Personnel or medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute an invasion of personal privacy."

That provision does not apply in the Santos case. First Selectman Ed Haberek and the town's legal counsel know that. These are public documents concerning the actions of a public employee during work. There is nothing remotely invasive of personal privacy.

Mr. Haberek should not wait for the formal decision. He should release the information now. He should also release to The Day a union grievance it seeks, filed on behalf of Zoning Enforcement Officer Joe Larkin after the reduction of his position to part time. The subject of another FOI appeal, it too is obviously a public record.

Stop kowtowing to the wishes of town employees, Mr. Haberek, and provide the public the information it is legally entitled to.