CORNING – The city of Corning has denied a Star-Gazette Freedom of Information Law request.

The newspaper filed the request Tuesday, seeking a copy of an opinion by the city’s lawyer on the validity of anti-flouride petitions filed last month.

The city plans to make public the lawyer’s ruling at a press conference at 9 a.m. on Oct. 23.

City Clerk Rose Blackwell, the city’s records access officer, said in a letter the request was denied because the document sought is an inter-agency or intra-agency communication that can be kept from the public under the law.

The petitions seek a referendum on City Charter changes that would prohibit the municipality from adding fluoride to its water. The Corning City Council approved fluoridation by a 7-1 vote earlier this year, but has taken no steps toward carrying out the project.

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